19th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 8-10, 2020 • Kansas City, MO
Focus on Follow-up: Finding what works
A priority of the Washington State Department of Health Early Hearing Detection, Diagnosis, and Intervention (EHDDI) program is to reduce the number of infants who do not receive needed screening, diagnostic, and early intervention services (i.e. decrease loss to follow-up). Over the past several years, the EHDDI program used quality improvement methodology (Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles) to test and implement a myriad of different follow-up strategies to reduce loss to follow-up. Some of the protocols implemented included:
• Texting/calling parents
• Sending parents letters
• Verifying audiology referrals were received and appointments were scheduled
• Contacting audiologists to ensure the early intervention referral was placed
• Contacting Part C providers to ensure the early intervention referral was received
• Communicating with the Part C program when the EHDDI program does not receive an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) date
• Contacting primary care providers when patients don’t receive a rescreen
Some strategies proved successful, while others were not. In the end, our data showed that between 2012 and 2018, loss to follow-up decreased for screening, audiology, and early intervention. This poster will discuss the new protocols that the EHDDI program implemented from 2012-2018 and whether the actions decreased the percentage of infants who did not receive recommended services.
- Identify successful follow-up protocols.
- Identify lessons learned by the Washington State EHDDI Program.
- Understand the Washington State EHDDI Program follow-up protocols and determine if these protocols would be helpful in their own program.
Poster:
21060_12619JulieWalker.pdf
Presenter: Julie Walker
Julie Walker, MPH, is a follow-up coordinator for the Washington State Department of Health EHDDI Program. She works to ensure that babies who do not have a passing hearing screen receive appropriate follow-up services. She works with hospital hearing screen coordinators, primary care providers, and audiologists to make sure babies who are identified as deaf or hard of hearing are enrolled in early intervention services in a timely manner. Julie received her Master’s in Public from American Public University, and her Bachelor’s degree in Community Health from Western Washington University.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Karin Neidt is the Washington State Early Hearing-loss Detection, Diagnosis, and Intervention (EHDDI) Coordinator, implementing and managing the newborn hearing screen follow-up and tracking/surveillance system. Karin previously worked for two years with the Department of Health Newborn Screening Program, consulting health care providers and families in the appropriate follow-up for infants with abnormal screening results. Karin received her Master in Public Health from the University of Washington in Seattle, WA, and her Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from Montana State University in Bozeman, MT.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Marcie Rider, AuD, received her doctorate of audiology from the University of Washington. She is a follow-up coordinator for the Washington State Department of Health EHDDI program. She takes part in ensuring that babies who do not receive a hearing screen or do not pass a hearing screen receive appropriate follow-up series. She assists in coordinating care between hospital screening programs, primary care physicians and audiologists so children with hearing loss do not fall through the cracks but instead are provided with the advantages of early identification and intervention.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from WA State Department of Health.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Ms. Doyle is the State Coordinator for Genetic Services and the manager of the Screening and Genetics Unit for the Washington State Department of Health. She is board certified by both the American Board of Medical Genetics and the American Board of Genetic Counseling. Ms. Doyle received her B.S. in genetics from the University of Washington and her M.S. in human genetics and genetic counseling from Sarah Lawrence College in New York. Before accepting her current position, she held positions at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Research Center, Jone's Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, and Women and Infant's Hospital Prenatal Diagnosis Center. Ms. Doyle is a past President of the National Society of Genetic Counselors and is a founding member of the Coalition of State Genetics Coordinators.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -