2024 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 17-19, 2024 • Denver, CO
3/18/2024 | 10:35 AM - 11:00 AM | Expanding Access to Pediatric Diagnostic Audiology | Capitol 7
Expanding Access to Pediatric Diagnostic Audiology
Pediatric audiological diagnostic testing centers that provide appropriate testing for infants are primarily located at major medical centers. Expansion of services can be challenging for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programs to influence. Providing accessible, appropriate, audiological testing to infants in the Southeastern part of Massachusetts was identified by the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program as a priority. This region of the state is traditionally underserved. Residents of Cape Cod and the Islands have the highest transportation burden to access pediatric audiological care. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health partnered with Boston Children's Hospital and Cape Cod Hospital to pilot a remote diagnostic audiology test site. After a pilot phase, it became fully operational in 2022. Providing access to services through remote audiological diagnostic testing removes barriers to testing and has the potential to decrease missed appointments, time to first appointment, time to diagnosis and time to intervention. It can also have a positive impact on lost to follow up.
This presentation will review the demographics of the babies seen in 2022, the impact of the remote diagnostic audiology center on time to first appointment and lost to follow up in the region. The limitations of testing remotely will be discussed, as well as limitations of the study group. Attitudes of caregivers and providers toward remote diagnostic testing will be shared.
The impact of a sustainable remote diagnostic audiological testing site will inform future expansion within the state and other Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Programs.
- The learner will be able to identify key stakeholders to assist in the exploration of expansion of audiological diagnostic testing services.
- The learner will be able to describe the potential positive impact of remote diagnostic audiological testing.
- The learner will be able to discuss potential limitations to remote diagnostic audiological testing.
Presentation:
3478265_16420SarahStone.pdf
3478265_16420SolomonMezgebu.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Solomon Mezgebu
(Primary Presenter,Author), MA Department of Public Health, solomon.w.mezgebu@mass.gov;
Solomon Mezgebu is the epidemiologist for the Massachusetts Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program. He has extensive experience with large data sets and survey design.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Sarah Stone
(Co-Presenter,Co-Author), MA Dept. of Public Health, sarah.stone@state.ma.us;
Sarah Stone is the Director of the Massachusetts Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program. She has a hearing loss and has been with the program for over 20 years. She has developed programming for families, including social and educational events. She is a member of the state's Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.