17th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 18-20, 2018 • Denver, CO

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  |   Using Data to Improve Services for Infants with Hearing Loss: Linking Newborn Hearing Screening Records with Early Intervention Records

Using Data to Improve Services for Infants with Hearing Loss: Linking Newborn Hearing Screening Records with Early Intervention Records

The New York State Early Hearing Detection (NYEHDI) Program has identified the need to better use existing data sources to identify gaps and target technical assistance throughout the state. Data matching has been widely used by public health researchers to conduct routine assessments, evaluations and improve the completeness of data by adding information obtained from other registries. The purpose of this study was to match records of infants with permanent hearing loss from the NYEHDI Information System (NYEHDI-IS) to records of infants with permanent hearing loss receiving early intervention services from the New York State Early Intervention Program (NYSEIP) and identify areas in the state where hearing screening, diagnostic evaluations and referrals to the NYSEIP were not being made or documented in a timely manner. Data from 2014-2016 NYEHDI and NYEIP information systems were matched using The Link King data matching software. The NYEHDI program identified 274 infants documented in NYEIP Information System receiving early intervention services with no documentation of a failed hearing screening (n=103) or a diagnostic evaluation confirming hearing loss (n=171) in NYEHDI-IS. The NYEHDI program also identified 40 infants with hearing loss in NYEHDI-IS who were not referred to NYSEIP, with 19 of these infants’ providers documenting that a referral to NYSEIP was made in NYEHDI-IS. The results from these analyses were used to direct targeted technical assistance to 94 audiologists across the state and educate them about the importance of early identification and referral for infants with hearing loss with the goal of improving the NYSEIP and NYEHDI program. Audiologists that were not connected to NYEHDI-IS were also identified and educated on New York State Department of Health reporting requirements with the goal of improving NYEHDI-IS data.

  • Identify areas in the state in need of targeted technical assistance
  • Identify areas in both the EHDI and Early Intervention programs in need of improvement.
  • Identify providers in need of education and training on reporting to the EHDI Program to improve data quality.

Presentation:
15805_8025LoriIarossi.pdf

Handouts:
Handout is not Available

Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference


Presenters/Authors

Lori Iarossi (), NYS DOH , lori.iarossi@health.ny.gov;
Lori Iarossi serves as the NY EHDI Coordinator within the Program Evaluation and Evidence-based Practices Unit in the Bureau of Early Intervention. She received her Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Economics from Empire State College. She has worked for the New York State Department of Health for 24 years, contributing to the development of many information systems to foster improved health outcomes for a diverse range of health issues including obesity prevention, HIV/AIDS, and worksite wellness.

ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist.

Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.


Yan Wu (), New York State Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention, yan.wu@health.ny.gov;
Yan Wu is a biostatistician providing data analysis and program evaluation expertise for the EHDI Program. She has a PhD in Biostatistics from the School of Public Health, SUNY Albany, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Wuhan University in China, and Master of Science Degree in Biostatistics and a Master of Science Degree in Computer Science, from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany.

ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial -

Nonfinancial -


Kirsten Siegenthaler (), NYS DOH, kirsten.siegenthaler@health.ny.gov;
Kirsten Siegenthaler, PhD is the Assistant Director for the Policy, Finance and State Systemic Planning Section, in the Bureau of Early Intervention. She has a Master’s of Science Degree in Public Health from Emory University Rollins School of Public Health. She has a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the University at Albany, State University of New York, School of Public Health. For the past fourteen years, she has worked at the New York State Department of Health to oversee grants, program evaluation, data management and statistical analysis. She is the Principal Investigator for the HRSA Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Grant and the CDC EHDI Tracking and Surveillance grant.

ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial -

Nonfinancial -


Alexandra Hamburg (), New York State Department of Health EHDI Program, alexandra.hamburg@health.ny.gov;
Alexandra Hamburg is the Follow-Up Coordinator for the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program with the New York State Department of Health. She has B.A. in English from the University at Buffalo and is currently working on her M.S. in Health Services Administration at Sage Graduate School. She has worked in the Department of Health for over 7 years. She has experience in data quality review and analysis, and program evaluation. She also has experience in training and customer service; providing technical assistance to healthcare providers in the form of webinars, phone calls, and emails.

ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist.

Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.