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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'Meaningful Strategies for Education, Awareness and Data Sharing to Reduce Lost to Follow up and Improve Turnaround Time for Hearing Testing and Diagnostic Evaluation' Track: 1 - EHDI Program Enhancement Keyword(s): Education, Awareness, hearing testing, diagnostic evaluation, lost to follow up Learning Objectives: Identify internal and external public health partners and other community healthcare organizations where education and awareness is needed Understand the value of building on relationships that home visitors already have with families Value the importance of data sharing with Vital Records and Immunizations database in order to locate families and primary care physicians of infants at higher risk of being lost to follow up Abstract: Between 40% to 60% of infants who don’t pass the screening test are “lost to follow-up,” meaning that the system of care does not have adequate processes to track whether or not these infants get the early diagnostic tests and intervention they need after discharge from the hospital. Meaningful and sustainable change is possible when public health partners and community health programs bring to the table their skills, experiences, and tools. Two successful strategies were used. The first strategy was providing education, raising awareness about newborn hearing screening (EHDI 1-3-6 goals), and mandatory reporting of hearing results. The second strategy was sharing data, resources and/or infrastructures with internal and external public health partners. By using these two methods, the Office of Newborn Screening has significantly decreased the lost to follow up and lost to documentation rates. Building on relationships that home visitors already have with families is key. Our program increased the use of resources by partnering with home visiting programs such as NICP programs, AZEIP (Part C), AZ AAP Care coordinators and Strong Families AZ (MIECHV). There are simple but meaningful steps that home visitors, social workers, and nurses can take to engage the family caregiver in the baby’s hearing status, such as simply asking the questions “do you know your baby’s hearing screening status?”, “do you know where the baby can go for further testing?”. Raising awareness with early childhood programs has increased understanding of the importance of newborn hearing screening as a baby’s first step towards improved developmental outcomes and school readiness. The Office of Newborn Screening increased data sharing with Vital Records, Immunizations, Medicaid (AHCCCS) and bloodspot databases. These resources are critical for timely follow up and verifying contact and demographic information on families at higher risk of being lost to follow up. Presentation: This presentation has not yet been uploaded or the speaker has opted not to make the presentation available online. Handouts: Handout is not Available
PRESENTER(S) / AUTHOR(S) INFORMATION
Brigitte Dufour - POC Arizona Dept of Health Services      Credentials: B.S.       Brigitte Dufour is the case management coordinator for the Office of Newborn Screening since June 2009. She oversees follow-up activities for abnormal results coming from bloodspot and hearing screening. Her goal is to enable parents and providers to work together so infants will receive appropriate intervention in a timely manner. Ms. Dufour works for the Arizona Department of Health Services since 2004. She has over eight years of program management experience including rulemaking, training and education, investigation, inspection protocols, enforcement actions, and database management. Ms Dufour is a member of Az. Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) team.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist. Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist. Gidget Carle - Co-Presenter,Author Arizona Department of Health Services      Credentials: BSN       Ms. Carle joined the Newborn Hearing Screening follow up team in September 2012. She has more than 19 years in medical clinical settings. Ms. Carle is the team leader for the hearing screening program and oversee activities performed by hearing Follow up Specialists for well babies. She monitors progress made based on the EHDI 1-3-6 goals. Ms. Carle is responsible for establishing protocols, policies and procedures for effective follow-up.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial - Sondi Aponte - Author Az Dept of Health Services      Credentials: Office of Newborn Screening Quality Improvement, Education and Outreach Manager       With 15 years’ experience in technology, program development, and training, Sondi Aponte is the Quality Improvement, Education and Outreach Manager with the Office of Newborn Screening (ONBS) program at the Arizona Department of Health Services. In that capacity, she develops quality assurance measures, monitors program outcomes, oversees hearing grants, and is the project lead on the CDC Data Integration grant. Program quality improvement responsibilities include data evaluation and analysis, report creation and overall data integrity. Partnership development and enhancement are crucial components of her job, representing the ONBS with The Az. Academy of Pediatrics, The Arizona Perinatal Trust and The EAR Foundation of Arizona (EFAz) among others.Sondi develops and implements training materials and educates clinical providers and families on newborn screening best practice.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial - Fran Altmaier - Primary Presenter,Author Arizona Department Health Services      Credentials: BSW       Fran is the Case Management Coordinator at the Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Newborn Screening. She provides administrative oversight to the follow up teams for both hearing and bloodspot. Prior to becoming the Coordinator in November 2014, Fran spent the prior 2 1/2 years as the High Risk Coordinator/Project Specialist. She provided follow up to all newborns who spent >5 days in a NICU and did not pass their newborn hearing screen as well as completing CQI projects related to reducing LTFU. Fran has a Bachelor of Social Work degree. Before joining the Newborn Screening Program nearly 3 years ago, Fran spent 18 years as a social worker in the early intervention field.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist. Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist. Davida Carr - Author Arizona Department of Health Services      Credentials: MPH       Ms. Carr is the epidemiologist for the Office of Newborn Screening. Ms. Carr has ten years of experience working with public health organizations including five years with the Indian Health Service Epidemiology Center. She possesses an extensive knowledge in epidemiological investigations with state and local public health agencies. Ms. Carr is familiar with health data analysis, public health development of policy, strategy and program evaluations.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -