EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
MARCH 2-5, 2021

(Virtually the same conference, without elevators, airplane tickets, or hotel room keys)

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3/14/2022  |   12:00 PM - 12:25 PM   |  Building a Process to Electronically Import and Track Early Intervention Scores   |  Room 12

Building a Process to Electronically Import and Track Early Intervention Scores

Demonstrating the correlation between a family’s adherence to the 1-3-6 Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) timeline and their child’s Early Intervention (EI) outcomes has long been an aspiration of the Idaho EHDI program. Partnering with Idaho State University (ISU) and the Idaho Collaborative Assessment Project (ICAP) made this a genuine possibility. The Idaho Collaborative Assessment Project employs a unique assessment battery developed to evaluate and address Idaho’s statewide needs. Commonly used evidence-based assessments were made available to families in an online format. This was particularly important in ensuring that all families across the state had access to the assessments, regardless of geographic location. This electronic formatting, and the use of Tableau, allowed for reporting at different levels: individual reports for families and providers, regional and statewide reports for system-wide analysis of trends for the purposes of resource sharing and professional development. Idaho EHDI and ISU created a data sharing agreement to exchange newborn hearing screening and EI data. Idaho EHDI collaborated with the HiTrack development team to design, implement and test the electronic import of EI scores. State Information Technology (IT) staff, HiTrack, and Idaho EHDI encountered unique technical obstacles during the work, including data structure concerns and mismatching identifiers across the birth and enrollment systems. Customized match rules were identified and implemented to address this mismatch to reduce record duplication. Testing was done using non-production servers after the technical designs were finished and implementation of the procedure followed successful test results. This unique project highlights how collaboration is needed and integral to tracking outcomes of young children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH). Key aspects include identification of systematic needs, implementation of metrics for data collection, modification of systematic collection systems, and collaboration of partners to make a workable system.

  • Participants will learn which Data Privacy Agreements may be required to integrate EHDI with Early Intervention programs.
  • Participants will learn what obstacles Data Managers will encounter when designing an import for early intervention scores.
  • Participants will learn what types of ongoing tracking benefits and quality improvements are gained from EHDI/EI data integration projects.

Presentation:
3353554_14922JamesFritzler.pdf

Handouts:
Handout is not Available

Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference


Presenters/Authors

Kristina Blaiser (Virtual), Idaho State University, Kristina.Blaiser@isu.edu;
Kristina Blaiser, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Associate Professor of Speech-Language Pathology in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and directs the HATCH (Helping Adults Talk to Children) Lab at Idaho State University. Dr. Blaiser has extensive experience leading early childhood education programs and evaluating the outcomes of children who are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing. Her research interests include program evaluation and graduate training related to assessment and early intervention practices of children who are Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing. Dr. Blaiser’s recent work has focused on using telehealth to support families in early intervention. Kristina is the Coordinator for ASHA SIG 9: Hearing Loss and Hearing Disorders in Childhood.


ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial -
• Receives Grants for Other activities from Obkerkotter Foundation.

Nonfinancial -
• Has a Professional (Advisory Board Member) relationship for Board membership.

James Fritzler (InPerson), Utah State University, James.Fritzler@usu.edu;
James Fritzler is a Project Manager, Analyst and Software Developer with 20 years of EHDI Data Management experience. He has directed and managed iterative software development for complex, specialized medical data management systems. In doing this work he has collaborated with eight State Departments of Health in implementing data surveillance systems and leveraged SQL Server and the Microsoft .Net Framework to build Web-based and Windows-based data management software. Additionally, his consultation with world-wide screening equipment manufacturers has established and improved hearing screening data integration.


ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial -

Nonfinancial -

Brian Shakespeare (), Idaho Sound Beginnings, Brian.Shakespeare@dhw.idaho.gov;
Brian Shakespeare has worked for Idaho Sound Beginnings since 2011; starting as the Data Manager and being promoted as Program Coordinator in 2014. He received his Baccalaureate of Science in Psychology from Boise State University in 2009. Following graduation he worked with children with developmental disabilities for two years, eventually becoming a Certified Behavioral Interventionist. Brian’s major accomplishments with Idaho Sound Beginnings include receiving the Outstanding Organization of the Year Award from the Idaho Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, overseeing data linkages between HiTrack, Idaho’s Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Information System, and the databases of both Idaho Vital Records and ITPKIDS, Idaho’s Part C database, as well as implementing process improvements in screening programs and audiology clinics across the state. Brian enjoys playing soccer, rock climbing, and taking his two Boston Terriers to the park to play Frisbee golf.


ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.

Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.