The Role of Audiologists in Assuring Follow-Up to Outpatient Screening in Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Systems

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of audiology involvement and other factors associated with failure to follow through from the initial hearing screening to the second outpatient screen. Method: Linear regression, logistical regression, and descriptive analyses were used across demographic and hospital variables associated with infants who did not receive a follow-up outpatient screen. Results: The results included birthing hospital outpatient rescreen rates from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2005. Variables were collected from the birth certificate and hospital surveys. Results showed higher loss to follow-up/ documentation to outpatient screen for (a) infants born in hospitals with low rates for returning for follow-up, (b) infants born in hospitals that did not have an audiologist involved, (c) infants who were Hispanic, (d) infants who were born to mothers who were not married, (e) infants with mother's with < 12 years of education, and (f) infants with Apgar scores of 7 or below. Conclusions: The findings were used to identify quality improvement strategies to decrease the loss to follow-up. Strategies included ensuring audiology support, providing information in the parent's native language, educating personnel in the newborn intensive care units, developing and disseminating information in Spanish in written form, and educating hospitals on the importance of scheduling the outpatient rescreening before hospital discharge.