18th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 3-5, 2019 • Chicago, IL
Who Should EHDI Programs Target for Increasing Referrals for Genetic Evaluations?
The Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH, 2007) and Minnesota state guidelines recommend children diagnosed with permanent hearing loss be offered referral for genetic evaluation. Based on data obtained by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), about 40% of children with hearing loss were not referred to a genetics specialist. Alternatively, about 90% of the same cohort received evaluation by otolaryngology. This project employed quality improvement tools for program evaluation and key informant interviews to review existing data and determine if existing data was complete. The project examines how primary care providers and otolaryngologists see their role in the process of how decisions are made to refer (or not to refer) for genetic evaluation. Historically, MN EHDI has focused efforts on primary care providers to coordinate referrals, including providing just-in-time information to PCP clinics for each child. Preliminary QI data suggests some PCPs prefer to refer to otolaryngology and depend on them to make further referrals as appropriate. Information obtained from this project informs Minnesota EHDI program decisions regarding provider and family education, and optimal ways to collect data regarding referrals to medical genetics.
- Discuss ways state EHDI programs can support JCIH guidelines that children with hearing loss be offered genetic evaluation.
- Discuss how key informants (primary care providers, otolaryngologists and geneticists) see their role in the process of referring families to genetics.
- Compare and contrast ways of collecting optimal data regarding referral of children diagnosed as DHH for genetic evaluation.
Poster:
18878_10471LaurenHoward.pdf
Presenter: Lauren Howard
Lauren Howard is a third year graduate student in the audiology program at the University of Minnesota. She is an intern with the Minnesota Department of Health.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Darcia Dierking, Au.D. holds pediatric audiology specialty certification and has more than 20 years of clinical and research experience working with both children and adults. Dr. Dierking works with the Minnesota Department of Health Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program doing longitudinal follow-up for children who are deaf and hard of hearing.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Elise Holmes is the Intermediate Planner for the Newborn and Child Follow-up program at the Minnesota Department of Health.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Nicole Brown is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner and has worked in Minnesota’s Maternal and Child Health/Public Health field for over 19 years at both the state and local level. She is the supervisor for Newborn Screening long-term follow-up and is Minnesota’s EHDI Coordinator responsible to provide long-range planning and direction for the development, implementation, and evaluation of a statewide EHDI system for children once they are identified with hearing loss. Nicole served as the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners’ liaison to the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Improving the Effectiveness of Newborn Hearing Screening, Diagnosis, and Intervention. She has worked with NCHAM as Quality Improvement Advisor and is the parent of two children who are deaf.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Sarah Angerman is the Director of Clinical Programs in Audiology at the University of Minnesota.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.