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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'KY EHDI Journey to Excellence' Track: 6 - Follow-up, Tracking and Data Management Keyword(s): continuous quality improvement, loss-to-follow-up Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to describe the process used in Kentucky to facilitate collaboration with EHDI stakeholders to reduce LTF/LTD Participants will be able to list tools utilized in Kentucky to provide feedback to stakeholders to improve data entry completeness, accuracy and timeliness of submission. Participants will be able to adapt and utilize processes and tools in their state/territories to facilitate improved stakeholder collaboration toward meeting National 1-3-6 goals. Abstract: The KY EHDI program has internalized the quality improvement tenets learned through our participation in the NICHQ Learning Collaborative. We have applied Continuous Quality Improvement to our EHDI 1-3-6 goals. “Low Hanging Fruit” has been identified –e.g. processes that could be changed and initiatives that could be implemented without significant disruption or increased workload on individual staff members. The KY EHDI Journey to Excellence poster session will describe initiatives that have been implemented for each of the 1-3-6 goals and will provide outcomes data for initiatives that have resulted in breakthroughs. Annual hospital site visits were enhanced using a “team approach” and follow up monthly data emails have yielded improvements in ascertaining that infants receive a newborn hearing screen by age 1 month. A “problem statement” was developed related to a high number of infants who refer on the UNHS, but do not receive diagnosis by age 3 months. Implementation of a process of sending faxes and fax backs to PCPs and checking insurance databases to locate infants who have not been scheduled for diagnostics by age 1 month is reducing our LTF rate. Various EHDI staff including Commission audiologists and family support personnel have been pulled into service to assist in assuring that infants receive a diagnosis of normal hearing or hearing loss by age 3 months. To more effectively meet the JCIH goal of enrollment in EI by age 6 months, efforts have focused on building professional relationships with non-Part C EI providers, reviewing records of newly diagnosed children to ascertain that referrals have been made and following up with audiologists to ensure that required Part C ROI are signed. 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
Lou Ann Jones - Co-Presenter,Author Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs      Credentials: M.S., CCC-A      Other Affiliations: American Speech-Language and Hearing Association; American Academy of Audiology; Kentucky Academy of Audiology; Educational Audiology Association; Kentucky Speech-Language and Hearing Association.       Lou Ann Jones was an audiologist at the Kentucky School for the Deaf for 15 years. In her role at the Kentucky School for the Deaf she provided direct services for deaf and hard of hearing children spanning in age from birth to 21 years old and provided technical assistance to school districts through out the state. Since 2001, she has been a Regional Coordinator for EHDI in Kentucky and is currently serving as the Audiology/EHDI Regional Coordinator for the Commisssion for Children with Special Health Care Needs. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communication Disorders from Murray State University in 1981 and a Master of Science Degree in Audiology from the University of Louisville in 1983.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist. Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist. Cathy Lester - Co-Presenter,Author CCSHCN      Credentials: MSSW       Cathy graduated in 1985 with a BA in Biology. She taught high school biology and math for then moved to Child Welfare at Home of the Innocents for 6 years and then moved to DCBS in CPS Investigations. She worked in investigations, family court, adoptions, and with medically fragile foster children. She joined the EHDI program at the Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs in September 2011. As the EHDI Health Program Administrator, she works within KY CHILD and CCSHCN’s database to ensure accuracy of data, assist families and providers with information and programming technical assistance. She has her Master’s degree in Social Work and 35 hours post Master’s work. She has also taught Research and Statistics at Kent School of Social Work and Social Work Practice at Spalding School of Social Work.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist. Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.