2024 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 17-19, 2024 • Denver, CO
| Impacts of JCIH 2019 and COVID-19 on Well Baby Hearing Screening in North Carolina
Impacts of JCIH 2019 and COVID-19 on Well Baby Hearing Screening in North Carolina
Infant hearing screening in the well-baby nursery (WBN) is critical to ensuring early identification and treatment of infants with congenital hearing loss. In recent months, two important events have impacted newborn hearing screening in the United States: the December, 2019 publication of the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) Year 2019 Position Statement: Principles and Guidelines for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Programs, and the still ongoing pandemic brought about by COVID-19. Also in 2020, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) provided additional funding to states to report the effects of COVID-19 on newborn hearing screening by April, 2021. This poster will report the findings of a project undertaken by four LEND trainees in the Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program at UNC Chapel Hill to explore the impact of these events on North Carolina’s 89 birthing hospitals. Using methodology that includes an electronic survey of hospital representatives and interviews with regional consultants from the NC-EHDI program, and with mentoring provided by UNC faculty and North Carolina’s Unit Manager for Genetics and Newborn Screening, key areas of investigation include: effects of COVID-19 on in-hospital and out-patient rescreening in North Carolina, and compliance with JCIH 2019 recommendations for well-baby hearing screening including: technology and protocols, calibration and equipment maintenance, training of screening personnel, communication with families, linkages to the state EHDI program, protocols for referral/follow-up, and the role of audiologists in oversight of hearing screening programs. Findings related to COVID-19 will be incorporated into the report submitted by the North Carolina EHDI program in April, 2021, and findings related to compliance with JCIH 2019 will be used for statewide quality assurance. The survey instruments developed for this project will be made available to other state EHDI programs interested in conducting similar investigations.
- Describe the JCIH 2019 recommendations pertaining to hearing screening of well babies.
- Apply resources for evaluating well baby hearing screening practices in their hospitals or state EHDI programs.
- Describe impacts of COVID-19 on well baby hearing screening in North Carolina.
Presentation:
23278_13727ChloeGratzek.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Chloe Gratzek
(POC,Primary Presenter,Co-Presenter,Author,Co-Author), chloe_gratzek@med.unc.edu;
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Alexandra McCormick
(Co-Presenter,Co-Author), Alexandra_mccormick@med.unc.edu;
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Madison Rock
(Co-Presenter,Co-Author), madison_rock@med.unc.edu;
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Jenna Van Bosch
(Co-Presenter,Co-Author), jenna_vanbosch@med.unc.edu;
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Hannah Siburt
(Co-Author), University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, hannah_siburt@med.unc.edu;
Dr. Siburt is a Clinical Assistant Professor and the Division Director for the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC. She also serves as a LEND faculty member at UNC. Dr. Siburt has over 14 years of experience as an audiologist.
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Marcia Fort
(Co-Author), NC DHHS, marcia.fort@dhhs.nc.gov;
Dr. Fort is the Genetics and Newborn Screening Unit Manager in the Whole Child Health Section of the North Carolina Division of Child and Family Well-Being and serves as the NC EHDI Coordinator. Marcia has worked with the NC EHDI program since 2002. Dr. Fort has 32 years of experience as a pediatric audiologist in hospital, private practice, ENT office and public school settings.
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No relevant financial relationship exists.
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No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
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No relevant financial relationship exists.
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No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Jackson Roush
(Co-Author), University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, jroush@med.unc.edu;
Dr. Roush is Professor and Director of the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC. He also serves as Director of the North Carolina LEND program and is co-chair of the NC EHDI Advisory Board. Dr. Roush has been a pediatric audiologist for 35 years.
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