Outpatient Screening

Outpatient Hearing Screening

All infants who do not pass an initial/birth hearing screening exam should be rescreened by or before 1 month of age.  The outpatient rescreening should include the testing of both ears, even if only one ear failed the inpatient/initial screening.  Outpatient hearing screening should also be available to infants who were discharged before receiving the initial/birth screening or who were born outside a hospital or birthing center.

In many cases the birthing hospital performs the outpatient hearing screen, but pediatricians, audiologists and other health care professionals may also provide the outpatient hearing screen.  Much of this dependends upon each hospital’s universal newborn hearing screening program resources as well as community provider availability, and what is true in one community is not true for all communities. 

Loss to follow-up is such a critical issue to the success of the EHDI system, therefore it is important that universal newborn hearing screening programs, audiologists and medical providers work together to identify outpatient hearing screening service providers and a local process for ensuring that families know where to go to secure outpatient hearing screening, should this screening be warranted for their infant.  Local providers are encouraged to develop written processes to provide to families at the time of the failed birth screen results that include written information on the date, time and location of the follow-up appointment, again, to occur within the first month of the child’s age.  The child's pediatrician or primary care provider plays a vital role in coordinating, with the family, the outpatient hearing screening exam, and the medical provider should follow-up with the outpatient hearing screening provider and the family through care-coordination practices, as to whether the family has obtained the outpatient hearing screening and the results of that screen.

Outpatient hearing screening providers play an essential role in providing care to children with suspected or confirmed hearing loss. The TEHDI Program has designed educational opportunities and materials to raise awareness of vital processes within outpatient services necessary to prevent loss to follow-up of newborns and infants in need of early intervention services.

Educational Materials

The TEHDI Program has developed educational materials for parents and providers. To view these materials, please click below or schedule a face to face presentation with one of the TEHDI Program's educators:

• Hearing Checklist for Parents: https://secure.thstepsproducts.com/pdf/TEHDI1-323_0311.pdf
• After the Hearing Screening: https://secure.thstepsproducts.com/pdf/TEHDI1-327_0311.pdf

To order the brochures above, please go to: https://secure.thstepsproducts.com/default.asp#newborn

• 1-3-6 Guidehttp://www.dshs.state.tx.us/tehdi/Audiology-Services-Information-for-Health-Professionals.aspx
• Genetics and Hearing:  https://secure.thstepsproducts.com/pdf/TEHDI1-326_0311.pdf  

To order these materials, please contact the TEHDI Program at 512/776-6616.

Training Opportunities

The TEHDI Program offers online trainings, webinars, and face to face presentations.  There are several online trainings specific to the Texas EHDI process.  These can be accessed at the following:

ü  Online CEU accredited training  https://secure.thstepsproducts.com/default.asp

ü  Online TEHDI program specific training  http://www.tehditraining.com/UNHS/

ü  For face to face trainings that offer standard curriculum from a trained Educator, please contact the TEHDI Coordinator at 512/776-7726.