Newborn Screening Information for Providers:
Hearing Screening for Out-of-Hospital Births

On this page:
Provider Responsibilities
Performing Newborn Hearing Screening
Communicating Results
Follow-up/Documentation

Provider Responsibilities

Minnesota state law (Minnesota Statute 144.966) requires all professionals attending a birth outside of a hospital to provide both verbal and written information to parents about the importance of hearing screening and where they can have their infant screened.

For infants born outside of a birthing hospital, there are several options available to ensure that newborn hearing screening is performed before one month of age. There are many midwives throughout the state of Minnesota with access to screening equipment who have been trained by our program's audiologists to perform newborn hearing screening. The Minnesota Council of Professional Midwives (MCCPM), for example, has distributed hearing screening equipment to trained members practicing across the state to screen newborns for hearing loss. MCCPM members also offer newborn hearing screening to families who are not clients in their practice. Please visit our Midwives Offering Newborn Hearing Screening page for a list of midwives who offer hearing screening.

Midwives who do not have access to hearing screening equipment should educate parents about newborn hearing screening and set up a hearing screening appointment with another provider before the infant is one month of age. Midwives who refer families to other providers for hearing screenings are encouraged to fill out the Notification of Newborn Hearing Screening Appointment form and fax or mail it to our program staff. Copies of this form can be ordered free-of-charge on the Education Materials and Forms page.

Please contact our program staff for assistance in locating hearing screening resources in your community.

Performing Newborn Hearing Screening

Personnel

Screening may be performed by anyone who has been properly trained. Initial training for those who perform newborn hearing screening, as well as refresher trainings and periodic monitoring of staff performance, are essential to ensuring quality screening. Resources for training may include experienced screeners; local, licensed clinical and educational audiologists; MDH audiologists; hearing screening equipment manufacturers; and other online resources as recommended by our program. Midwives may select appropriate staff to carry out hearing screening and related duties.

Educating Parents

Providers are responsible for educating parents about hearing screening before screening takes place. Education materials to aid in the discussion about hearing screening are available free-of-charge and can be ordered on the Education Materials and Forms page. For more information on educating parents about newborn screening, including hearing screening, visit the Postnatal Education page.

Timing

The initial hearing screen is best performed after 12 hours of age but at no later than three days postpartum. The screen may be performed before 12 hours of age if needed; however, early screens have a higher REFER (not pass) rate due to residual birthing debris in the ear canal. Infants who do not pass the initial hearing screen should be rescreened at the two-week postpartum check or at no later than one month of age.

Screening Technologies

Newborn hearing screening must be performed using objective physiological screening methods that do not require behavioral responses from the infant. Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) are the two types of technology proven to be effective in screening for hearing loss in newborns.

Each technology has advantages and disadvantages. Either technology, or a combination of the two, is considered appropriate for newborn screening for healthy newborns. Infants in the NICU must have AABR included as part of their screening.

Policies and Procedures

Every midwife practice and out-of-hospital birth center performing newborn hearing screening should have a written policy and procedure to follow when screening newborns for hearing loss. The policy should address the following topics:

• Screening procedure
• Equipment
• Follow-up for infants with REFER results
• Communication with parents
• Staff training
• Staff re-training
• Documentation
• Result reporting to MDH and primary care
• Plan for equipment failure
• Quality assurance

Our program audiologists are available to assist in developing and revising these policies and procedures. For sample policies and procedures or to arrange a site visit with an audiologist, please contact our staff.

Communicating Results

In accordance with Minnesota statute, all newborn hearing screening results and follow-up arrangements should be conveyed to the newborn's parents, the infant's primary care provider, and the Newborn Screening Program.

To Parents

Share hearing screening results with parents both verbally and in writing immediately after the screen is performed. If the infant receives a PASS result, give the parent(s) the PASS Result: Hearing Screening Result Notification sheet and explain that changes in hearing can occur at any time. Encourage parents to contact you or their infant's primary care provider should concerns arise. If the infant receives a REFER result, give the parent(s) the REFER Result: Hearing Screening Result Notification sheet and discuss a plan for follow-up. Assist parents in scheduling the necessary appointments as soon as possible and encourage them to discuss hearing results with their infant's primary care provider. Result notification sheets are available to order free-of-charge on the Education Materials and Forms page.

To the Primary Care Provider (if applicable)

Final results and any scheduled follow-up arrangements should be communicated in writing to the infant's primary care provider within 10 days of screening. Results can be sent using a copy of the Hearing PASS Sheet or Hearing REFER Sheet that was given to the infant's parent(s). Alternatively, results stored in the infant's medical record can be faxed directly to the infant's primary care provider.

To the Newborn Screening Program

During 2017, midwives who provide newborn hearing screening will continue transitioning to secure electronic submission of newborn hearing screening results to the Newborn Screening Program. Previously, hearing screening results could be reported in a section of the newborn screening card used for blood spot collection. This section will no longer be available for reporting of hearing screening results. All newborn hearing screen and rescreen results (regardless of outcome) completed by the midwife provider will be transmitted to the Newborn Screening Program in this new electronic way through MNScreen.

Minnesota law also requires that final newborn hearing screen results be sent to the infant's primary care provider. For all infants with REFER results requiring further testing, please notify the program and the primary care provider of when and where follow-up testing will take place. Hearing screening results and follow-up plans should be communicated to the primary care clinic within 10 days of the last screening.

Follow-up/Documentation

Timely follow-up, thorough documentation, and effective communication between the Newborn Screening Program, providers, specialists, and families are key steps in the newborn hearing screening process that help facilitate prompt diagnosis, family support, and implementation of early intervention services.

Midwife

All newborn hearing screening results should be documented in a hearing screening tracking and management system and in the infant’s health record. Record keeping is essential for tracking infants who are “missed” or who require rescreening because of an initial REFER result or a screening equipment malfunction. The hearing screening tracking and management system should also serve as a tool for tracking staff performance, for tracking who is notified of results, and for documenting follow-up plans.

Infants whose final hearing screen result is a PASS do not require immediate follow-up. However, changes in hearing can occur at any time. The child’s hearing should continue to be monitored and any parental concerns should be discussed throughout the child’s life.

Infants whose final hearing screen result is a REFER require immediate follow-up. A diagnostic audiology appointment should be scheduled for the family as soon as possible but at no later than three months of age. The primary care provider (if applicable) and the Newborn Screening Program should be promptly notified of the date and time of the diagnostic audiology appointment to help facilitate timely services.

Newborn Screening Program

Our staff will contact midwives/out-of-hospital birth centers, primary care providers, and specialists as needed to ensure that every infant born in Minnesota undergoes a hearing screen and receives appropriate follow-up when necessary.