2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
| Community Needs Assessment: Exploring access to pediatric services in Oregon
Community Needs Assessment: Exploring access to pediatric services in Oregon
National guidelines recommend that infants who do not pass the newborn hearing screen have a diagnostic hearing evaluation by 3 months, and that deaf and hard of hearing infants receive early intervention services by 3-6 months. There are 12 pediatric audiology centers in Oregon that can diagnose hearing differences in infants under 6 months of age, and all are in metropolitan areas on the west side of the state. Compared to statewide data, infants in rural Oregon are twice as likely to miss the diagnostic benchmark and be lost to follow-up (Annual Summary Data: Oregon Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program, 2025). Barriers may include the distance families must travel for specialty care, time burden, insurance limitations, and difficulty navigating systems of care. A community needs assessment was conducted to identify unmet needs and systems barriers related to infant diagnostic hearing evaluations and intervention. The scope of children’s hearing services available in rural Oregon was determined through surveys of educational and community audiologists. Interviews with families were conducted to learn about their experiences of accessing pediatric audiology services and their priorities and preferences. Clinical data was analyzed to identify the proportion of children from rural Oregon that access pediatric audiology services at Oregon Health & Science University and determine appointment scheduling timelines and care coordination . The results will be used to determine if current early hearing resources adequately meet the needs of Oregon families and identify opportunities for improvement.
- The participant will be able to describe the availability and scope of children's hearing services in rural Oregon.
- The participant will be able to summarize families' experiences with accessing pediatric services in rural Oregon.
- The participant will recognize the role care coordination may play in whether a family in rural Oregon meets JCIH recommendation.
Presentation:
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Presenters/Authors
Monica Zmudzinski
(Primary Presenter,Co-Presenter), Oregon Health and Science University, monicaz1@arizona.edu;
Monica Zmudzinski is an Audiology Extern at Oregon Health and Science University and a first year PhD student in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Arizona. She has a passion for advocacy serving the community, see also in her work with underserved populations and in her research.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Grants for Other activities from Oregon LEND Program.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Receive a stipend from the Oregon LEND Program.
Nature: .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.