| Table. Obstacles |
| |
Definately Not An Obstacle |
to |
An Extremely Serious Obstacle |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| A.Unwillingness of third-party payers to reimburse for newborn screening and diagnosis |
|
| Number of responses: |
6 |
15 |
20 |
9 |
1 |
| Percentage |
11.8 |
29.4 |
39.2 |
17.6 |
2.0 |
| Average |
2.69 |
| |
| B. Not enough experienced pediatric audiologists to do diagnostic evaluations and hearing aid fitting for infants and young children |
|
| Number of responses: |
4 |
13 |
18 |
13 |
3 |
| Percentage |
7.8 |
25.5 |
35.3 |
25.5 |
5.9 |
| Average |
2.96 |
| |
| C. Lack of appropriate early intervention services for infants and toddlers with hearing loss |
|
| Number of responses |
7 |
17 |
16 |
7 |
4 |
| Percentage |
13.7 |
33.3 |
31.4 |
13.7 |
7.8 |
| Average |
2.69 |
| |
| D. Short hospital stays for newborns and mothers (No response: 1 state) |
|
| Number of responses |
9 |
18 |
15 |
7 |
1 |
| Percentage |
18.0 |
36.0 |
30.0 |
14.0 |
2.0 |
| Average |
2.50 |
| |
| E. Research on the effectiveness and feasibility of newborn hearing screening not convincing enough |
|
| Number of responses |
20 |
18 |
11 |
1 |
1 |
| Percentage |
39.2 |
35.3 |
21.6 |
7.8 |
2.0 |
| Average |
1.92 |
| |
| F. Physicians are opposed to hospital-based hearing screening |
|
| Number of responses |
17 |
24 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
| Percentage |
33.3 |
47.1 |
11.8 |
7.8 |
0.0 |
| Average |
1.94 |
| |
| G. Physicians don't know enough about newborn hearing screening, diagnosis, and intervention to encourage and support parents |
|
| Number of responses |
0 |
14 |
18 |
16 |
3 |
| Percentage |
0.0 |
27.5 |
35.3 |
31.4 |
5.9 |
| Average |
3.16 |
| |
| H. Screening procedures are too complex and time-consuming |
|
| Number of responses |
21 |
20 |
8 |
1 |
1 |
| Percentage |
41.2 |
39.2 |
15.7 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
| Average |
1.84 |
| |
| I. Equipment is too expensive |
|
| Number of responses |
12 |
19 |
10 |
8 |
2 |
| Percentage |
23.5 |
37.3 |
19.6 |
15.7 |
3.9 |
| Average |
2.39 |
| |
| J. False-alarm rates are too high |
|
| Number of responses |
11 |
18 |
18 |
4 |
0 |
| Percentage |
21.6 |
35.3 |
35.3 |
7.8 |
0.0 |
| Average |
2.29 |
| |
| K. Parents are opposed |
|
| Number of responses |
34 |
13 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
| Percentage |
66.7 |
25.5 |
3.9 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
| Average |
1.47 |
| |
| L. Hospitals administrators are opposed (No response: 1 state) |
|
| Number of responses |
26 |
14 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
| Percentage |
52.0 |
28.0 |
14.0 |
4.0 |
2.0 |
| Average |
1.76 |
| |
| M. The benefits of early identification have not been proven |
|
| Number of responses |
23 |
16 |
10 |
1 |
1 |
| Percentage |
45.1 |
31.4 |
19.6 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
| Average |
1.31 |
| |
| N. Tracking and surveillance systems are inadequate |
|
| Number of responses |
1 |
13 |
11 |
11 |
5 |
| Percentage |
2.0 |
25.5 |
21.6 |
21.6 |
9.8 |
| Average |
2.53 |
| |
| O. There is not enough coordination/cooperation with other programs serving the same children (No response: 1 state) |
|
| Number of responses |
8 |
12 |
20 |
6 |
4 |
| Percentage |
16.0 |
24.0 |
40.0 |
12.0 |
8.0 |
| Average |
2.72 |
| |
| P. Strategies and/or resources for good program evaluation and quality assurance are lacking |
|
| Number of responses |
7 |
13 |
15 |
15 |
1 |
| Percentage |
13.7 |
25.5 |
29.4 |
29.4 |
2.0 |
| Average |
2.80 |
| |
| Q. Inadequate financial support for core functions of the state EHDI program |
|
| Number of responses |
10 |
9 |
11 |
9 |
11 |
| Percentage |
20.0 |
18.0 |
22.0 |
18.0 |
22.0 |
| Average |
3.04 |
| |
| R. Other Factors† |
|
| HEARING AID FUNDING |
|
|
|
|
|
| Funding not readily available for amplification |
|
|
|
x |
|
| Lack of funding for hearing aids |
|
|
|
|
x |
| Lack of funding or insurance for hearing aid devices and fitting for infants/toddlers |
|
|
x |
|
|
| PROGRAM STAFFING |
|
|
|
|
|
| Personnel at state level |
|
|
|
x |
|
| UNHS State Program Coordinator position turnover |
|
|
|
|
x |
| Lack of permanent state EHDI staff |
|
|
|
x |
|
| Lack of EHDI program support staff |
|
|
|
x |
|
| Not enough staff to support operations |
|
|
|
|
x |
| Training of Part C early intervention staff |
|
|
|
|
x |
| Limitation by State Legislature on # of authorized FTE regardless of funding |
|
|
|
x |
|
| DATA COORDINATION AND SHARING |
|
|
|
|
|
| Lack of automated statewide data management system |
|
|
|
|
x |
| State law prohibits linkage with Birth Certificate database |
|
|
|
x |
|
| Electronic birth certificate problems |
|
|
|
|
x |
| Clinics not reporting repeat screen and diagnostic test results |
|
|
|
x |
|
| Coordination between hospital screeners, clinic audiologists & IE staff |
|
|
|
x |
|
| Lack of state guidelines/protocol for screening & testing |
|
|
x |
|
|
| GENERAL PROGRAM FUNDING |
|
|
|
|
|
| Sustainability |
|
|
x |
|
|
| Resources for border state births, resident births |
|
|
|
|
x |
| Medicaid Reimbursement Rates |
|
|
|
|
x |
| † Categories listed under "Other Factors" were created from open-ended responses. The character 'x' designates a single response for that category. |
