Section 661.600  Newborn Hearing Screening

a)         Each medical care facility shall conduct bilateral hearing screening of each newborn infant, including newborns and infants in a NICU or SBCU, prior to discharge unless medically contraindicated or the infant is transferred to another hospital before the hearing screening can be completed. If the infant is transferred to another hospital prior to completion of the hearing screening, the hospital to which the infant is transferred shall complete the hearing screening prior to discharge. (Section 5(a) of the EHDI Act). All medical care facilities shall make provisions for outpatient screenings when a newborn hearing screening was missed, or the newborn or infant had an incomplete hearing screening, during the inpatient stay.

b)         A newborn hearing screening or rescreening test shall screen both ears at the same time, of the newborn, infant or child.  No more than two inpatient screening test sessions shall be completed on the newborn or infant. Each screening session will be considered a separate test.

c)         The medical care facility shall provide a single rescreening session to any newborn or infant does not pass either ear during the initial screening session.  The rescreening session shall be conducted prior to discharge of the newborn or infant and shall be a single valid rescreen of both ears in the same session, regardless of initial screening results.

d)         If there is no hearing screening result, or if an infant does not pass a hearing screening in both ears at the same time, then the medical care facility shall refer the infant's parents or legal guardians to a health care practitioner or pediatric audiologist for follow-up, and document and report the referral, including the name of the health care practitioner or pediatric audiologist, to the Department (Section 5(b) of the EHDI Act).  If a newborn or infant does not pass either ear prior to discharge, the medical care facility shall:

1)         Make a reasonable effort to ensure that the newborn has an outpatient hearing screening completed before the newborn is 30 days of age or, when appropriate, is scheduled with a pediatric audiologist for testing.

2)         Notify the primary healthcare provider who will care for the newborn, infant or child after discharge of the hearing screening results and follow-up plan of care; and 

3)         Document the follow-up plan of care, including outpatient screening results, to the Department within 7 days. (Section 5(b) of the EHDI Act)

e)         If a newborn or infant is readmitted after discharge from the medical care facility, when there are conditions associated with potential elevated hearing thresholds, then a hearing rescreening shall be performed even if the newborn or infant has passed newborn hearing screening prior to the development of the condition requiring re-admission.

f)         Any newborn, infant or child who receives a diagnosis of a suspected or confirmed hearing loss shall be referred for Early Intervention by the medical or ancillary care provider in accordance with the Early Intervention Services System Act.  The Department recommends that the medical care provider also refer to parent-to-parent support and parent support services.  Early intervention or parent-to-parent support services shall be initiated no later than six months of age unless contraindicated (Section 23(b) of the EHDI Act).

g)         The medical care facility performing the hearing screening shall report the results of the hearing screening to the Department within 7 days of screening. (Section 5(b) of the EHDI Act).

h)         All medical care facilities shall make provisions for an outpatient screening for infants born outside a medical care facility (i.e., home births). (Section 5(a) of the EDHI Act).  For infants born outside a medical care facility, the newborn's primary care provider shall refer the patient to a medical care facility for the hearing screening to be done in compliance with this Part within 30 days after birth, unless a different time period is medically indicated. (Section 5(b) of the EHDI Act)