Improving follow-up after newborn hearing screening An action kit for audiologists

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Follow-Up After Newborn Hearing Screening Assessment Tool

How to Rate Your Organization

Rate your organization’s current practice for each of the improvement strategies listed using this rating scale:

1 - Not part of standard work but it is feasible and the practice may be interested in testing ideas in this area now or in the future.

2 - Has been implemented but the practice is unsure how reliably infants/families are receiving this element of care.

3 - Part of standard work and the practice is confident that at least 50% of infants/families experience this; may occur frequently but may not be documented or not built into policy/procedure.

4 - Included in the policy/procedures and the practice is confident that at least 90% of infants/families experience this; documentation for this item can be found in the infant’s medical record.

N/A - Not part of standard work in the practice and it is not feasible to add it to standard practice.

Improvement area: Pre-appointment activities

Improvement strategies 1 2 3 4 N/A
The Audiology practice receives results of the birth hearing screening and/or re-screen before the appointment
The family receives written pre-appointment instructions in the mail, in the family's first language, before the appointment
The family receives an appointment reminder call that confirms the appointment time, confirms the location, and logistics, verifies two points of contact for the family (phone, email, etc.), and offers answers to any questions
The Primary Care Provider is documented in the medical record

Improvement area: Appointment

Improvement strategies 1 2 3 4 N/A
Results of the diagnostic appointment explained verbally to the parent(s)/caregiver(s) (in the family's first language whenever possible)
Results of the diagnostic appointment given to the parent(s)/caregiver(s) in a written document (in the family's first language whenever possible)
The family is able to restate the next steps following the diagnostic appointment
When further appointments are required; the next audiology appointment is scheduled before the family leaves the current appointment

Improvement area: Reporting results

Improvement strategies 1 2 3 4 N/A
Results of diagnostic audiology appointment(s) are sent to the primary care physician and noted in the infant's medical record
Results of diagnostic audiology appointment(s) are sent to the state EHDI program
Results of diagnostic audiology appointment(s) are sent to the state EHDI program within 7 business days of the appointment
Results of diagnostic audiology appointment(s) are reported to the state EHDI program using a standard form and method

Improvement area: Next steps following diagnosis

Improvement strategies 1 2 3 4 N/A
All kids ages 0-3 are referred to Early Intervention following diagnosis of PERMANENT hearing loss (PHL)
A referral to Early Intervention is made within 7 business days of the appointment where PHL was identified
Family of infant with hearing loss is given information about Early Intervention and other hearing loss specific diagnosis resources prior to leaving the appointment (in the family's first language whenever possible)
A referral to Parent-to-Parent support organizations is made where formal agreements exist (i.e, Hands & Voices Guide By Your Side Program)