Section 410IAC3-3-12. Newborn hearing screening reports

   (a) Hearing screening results shall be provided in writing to the newborn or infant's parent prior to discharge.

  (b) Hearing screening results (from the hearing screening equipment or from the heel-stick card) for every newborn, infant, or child that receives a screen shall be provided to the department's early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) program in the format, media, and time specified by the department's EHDI program.

  (c) The birthing center or hospital shall report all screening exceptions within five (5) business days, including the following:

(1) Newborns or infants who are not screened due to equipment or hospital error.

(2) Newborns or infants who do not pass the initial newborn hearing screening and one (1) additional rescreen prior to discharge (for a total of two (2) hearing screenings).

(3) Newborns or infants at risk for late-onset hearing loss.

  (d) If a newborn or infant is not successfully screened or did not receive a newborn hearing screening prior to discharge, the birthing center or hospital shall report these results as follows:

(1) To the newborn or infant's parent orally and in writing.

(2) To the newborn or infant's health care provider and the department's EHDI program.

  (e) If a newborn or infant does not pass his or her newborn hearing screening and does not pass the rescreen prior to discharge (for a total of two (2) hearing screenings), the birthing center or hospital shall report these results as follows:

(1) To the newborn or infant's parent orally and in writing.

(2) To the newborn or infant's health care provider and the department's EHDI program.

(3) The birthing center or hospital shall also contact an approved diagnostic audiology Level 1 facility and schedule an appointment for an outpatient diagnostic hearing test. The location, date, and time of the appointment shall be provided to the newborn or infant's health care provider and the department's EHDI program.

  (f) If a newborn or infant passes the newborn hearing screening, but has risk indicators for late-onset or progressive hearing loss, the birthing center or hospital shall do the following:

(1) Inform the newborn or infant's parent of the risk indicator in writing.

(2) Provide the newborn or infant's parent with written documentation of language and hearing milestones.

(3) Recommend a follow-up test at an approved diagnostic audiology Level 1 facility to be done when the infant is between nine (9) and twelve (12) months of age.

(4) Provide documentation of the hearing screening results, risk indicator, language and hearing milestones, and recommendation for follow-up test to the newborn, infant, or child's health care provider in writing.

(5) Report the hearing screening results and risk indicator to the department's EHDI program.

  (g) Each birthing center or hospital shall complete and submit to the department's EHDI program a monthly summary report (MSR) by the fifteenth day of the following month. MSR data shall be submitted in the format and media specified by the department's EHDI program.

  (h) Newborn hearing screening reports to be completed by physicians or midwives providing home birth services shall comply with the following:

(1) Midwives or physicians shall report all newborn hearing screening results to the newborn, infant, or child's health care provider (if designated) and to the department's EHDI program.

(2) Midwives or physicians shall report all newborns or infants who:

(A) did not receive a newborn hearing screening;

(B) did not pass a newborn hearing screening; or

(C) passed the newborn hearing screening but have a risk indicator for late-onset hearing loss;

to the department's EHDI program.

(3) Each midwife or physician providing home birth services must complete an MSR by the fifteenth day of the following month.

  (i) Diagnostic audiology Level 1 facilities shall report results of diagnostic audiological evaluations as follows:

(1) Results shall be reported for each ear separately.

(2) Assessment results shall be reported to the department's EHDI program, regardless of audiological findings.

(3) Results shall include a statement of the severity and type of hearing loss identified.

(4) Results shall be reported within five (5) business days following the assessment.

  (j) Each screening facility shall make available the following items to the department's EHDI program in the reporting method and format specified by the department:

(1) The name of the current person at the screening facility designated as the point of contact.

(2) The type of hearing screening equipment utilized.

(3) Equipment calibration records.

(4) Whether the hearing screening program at that screening facility is conducted by screening facility personnel or is contracted to an outside entity.

(5) Hearing screening protocols.

(6) Test procedure or procedures used by the screening facility's universal newborn hearing screening program.

(7) Pass criteria that minimally meet guidelines established by the department's EHDI program.

(8) A description of the screening facility quality assurance/quality improvement program.

  (k) By reporting all audiologic findings to the department as outlined above, audiologists meet the reporting requirements of the Indiana birth defects and problems registry (IBDPR) for children who are diagnosed with permanent hearing loss between birth and three (3) years of age. (Indiana State Department of Health; 410 IAC 3-3-12; filed Apr 25, 2012, 3:46 p.m.: 20120523-IR-410100504FRA)