For Providers

A doctor checking an infants hearing

Information for providers serving families throughout the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) system.

Hospitals and Birthing Centers

Information about Universal Newborn Hearing Screening for Hospitals and Birthing Centers.

Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Partnership

  • Conduct infant hearing screenings on newborns before hospital discharge as required

  • Designate a hearing screening coordinator who is responsible for the coordination of the facility's hearing screening program and report the name annually to ODH or sooner if there is a change

  • Develop a written protocol that complies with Ohio Administrative Code for hospitals and birthing centers

  • Report hearing screening results, type of testing and applicable risk factors to the baby’s primary care provider or doctor

  • Screenings results or reasons why screenings were not performed are required be reported to the Ohio Department of Health Infant Hearing Program within 10 days of the screening or birth if not screened

  • Use the Infant Hearing training to hospitals and birthing centers to support the hospital training 
       

  • Infant Hearing memos are provided to hospitals and birthing centers frequently with important updates or changes

Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Responsibilities

  • Perform hearing screening around 12 hours after birth.

  • Share the parent brochure and discuss the hearing screening process with parents prior to screening.

  • Provide hearing screening results in writing to the family that include type(s) of testing, results for each ear and test, and applicable risk factors

  • Talk with the baby’s parents about hearing screening results and next steps

  • Remind parents that the hearing screening is a snapshot in time and the hearing ability can change

  • If the baby does not pass the second screening, let the parents know that the baby needs a hearing evaluation, which is a more detailed hearing test

  • Remind, coach and engage parents about the follow up testing and time frame for follow up

  • The hearing evaluations can be scheduled by the hospital or birthing center before discharge

  • Provide a list of audiology providers that are close do hearing evaluations

Diagnostic Audiologists

Information for pediatric audiologists who evaluate infants and toddlers, birth to age 3, and discusses the roles and responsibilities of these audiologists as it relates to the state Early Hearing Detection and Intervention process in Ohio.

The Role of the Audiologist in Ohio’s Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program

  • Complete diagnostic hearing evaluations on babies who do not pass their newborn hearing screening using a battery of physiologic tests (JCIH 2007).
  • Monitor and evaluate infants and toddlers at risk for hearing loss.
  • Ensure infants and toddlers with hearing loss are referred to Help Me Grow for early intervention services in a timely manner consistent with Federal guidelines.
  • Educate families about the results of the hearing evaluation and what the results mean in terms of speech and language development.
  • Report diagnostic hearing evaluation results to the Ohio Department of Health accurately and timely for program accountability and reduction of loss to follow-up.

Responsibilities During the Diagnostic Hearing Evaluation

  • Conduct appropriate diagnostic testing to determine type and degree of hearing loss, if any, that may follow the COACH Protocol Flow Chart.
  • Share the results of the diagnostic hearing evaluation both verbally and in writing with the parents/caregivers (in the family’s primary language, if possible).
  • Ensure the family can restate the next steps following the diagnostic appointment including results and the need for future appointments.
  • Provide information about unbiased communication options and resource materials to families.
  • Provide information about early intervention services to families.

Responsibilities After the Diagnostic Hearing Evaluation

  • Report results to the baby’s Primary Care Provider and the Ohio Department of Health Infant Hearing Program within 7 business days of the evaluation.
  • Refer infants and toddlers with hearing loss to early intervention services within 7 days of the diagnosis and report the date of the referral to the Ohio Department of Health.
  • Remind families/caregivers of any upcoming appointments for additional testing.

Trainings for Pediatric Audiologists available on OhioTrain

  • Amplification Validation and Functional Testing
  • Assessment of Middle Ear Function and Otoacoustic Emissions
  • Behavioral Audiologic Assessment Outcomes of Children with Hearing Loss
  • Challenges in Diagnosis and Management in Children with Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder
  • COACH Protocol: Click and Tone Burst Air and Bone ABR, ASSR
  • Impact of EHDI in the 21st Century
  • Pediatric Hearing Instrument Fitting and Verification
  • Putting it all Together; EHDI: What Have We Learned
  • Understanding the Needs of Children who are Deaf/HH Plus
  • When is it time to consider BAHA or Cochlear Implants?

Provider Resources