Craig A. Mason, PhD

Chung, W., Beauchaine, K., Grimes, A., O’Hollearn, T., Mason, C.A., and Ringwalt, S. (2017). Reporting newborn audiologic results to state EHDI programs. Ear and Hearing, 38(5), 638-642.

DOI: doi.org/10.1097/aud.0000000000000443; PMC: europepmc.org/articles/PMC5570651

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/pdfs/mm6633a4.pdf

Reporting newborns’ hearing status to the state EHDI program is an important responsibility of the pediatric audiologist. Reasons for failing to report to the EHDI program vary. We sought to determine the frequency of reporting, and the reasons that results are not reported.

Method: The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention - Pediatric Audiology Links to Services (EHDI-PALS) facility survey was used to inform the reporting compliance of audiology facilities. The survey was user-tested and disseminated via articles, newsletters and call-to-action notices to audiologists.

Conclusion: Among the 1024 facilities surveyed, 88 facilities did not report hearing findings to their state EHDI program while 936 (91.4%) complied. Not knowing how to report was the most frequently chosen reason. Among those who had reported to the EHDI program, certain findings such as normal hearing were not reported. some facilities assumed other facilities would report the hearing finding when family elected to go elsewhere for a second opinion. Furthermore some facilities had not sent an update to clarify a previous report of incomplete test results. It is incumbent on the EHDI program to clearly communicate to the audiology community the reasons for reporting, and the methods and timelines for reporting.

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