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EHDI: Early Hearing Detection & Intervention

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Newborn Hearing Screening Virtual Site Visit (VSV) Program

This program has been funded in part by a cooperative agreement (U52MC04391) from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) at the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Introduction

Many state EHDI programs conduct some form of in-person site visits to newborn hearing screening programs to provide information, resources and technical support. Sites visits:

  • establish and develop a rapport with staff and stakeholders
  • gather stakeholder information (roles and responsibilities)
  • gather screening program information; policies, procedures, protocols
  • review screening outcome data and performance areas
  • educate and communicate state requirements and benchmarks
  • identify program challenges
  • provide best practice updates
  • provide tools and resources

The VSV Program was created to develop a virtual format for state EHDI programs to use to continue site visits when in-person visits are not possible.

Program Focus and Direction

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs have utilized a variety of approaches to work with Newborn Hearing Screening (NBHS) programs over the years. Face-to-face, on-site visits have been reported as most effective, but not always feasible. Barriers to face-to-face site visits vary from cost and time to restrictions due to the recent pandemic.

Site visits provide a framework for creating a collaborative ongoing partnership between EHDI programs and NBHS programs to work together toward the common goal of providing the standard of care in newborn hearing screening.

Due to the importance of routine site visits and in light of fiscal and/ or travel restrictions the Virtual Site Visit (VSV) Program was created. This new innovation will support the sustainability of quality newborn hearing screening programs.

Steps for Conducting Virtual Site Visits

  • Step 1. Birth Facility Outreach and Request for Participation
  • Step 2. Email Invitation for the Virtual Meeting
  • Step 3. Prepare for Initial Virtual Site Visit Collaboration Meeting
  • Step 4. Conduct the Initial Virtual Site Visit Collaboration Meeting
  • Step 5. Conduct Strata Reporting activities
  • Step 6. Prepare for the Virtual Site Visit Collaboration Summary Meeting
  • Step 7. Conduct the Virtual Site Visit Collaboration Summary Meeting
  • Step 8. Thank You and Meeting Wrap Up (Minutes, Summary, Next Steps)

Strata Database:

EHDI Coordinators email VSVsupport@infanthearing.org to participate in the VSV Program and obtain the VSV Guidebook.