Abstract

To evaluate efficacy and costs of a volunteer-based universal newborn hearing screening program.The Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford newborn hearing screening program database was reviewed. Results and costs of the hearing screens were analyzed.Hearing screens were performed on 5771 newborns treated in the well-baby nursery and nine infants from this population were identified with hearing loss, seven of whom had no risks factors for hearing loss. Using volunteers to perform the first-line screen with the automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) technology, 91% of infants registered for screening were evaluated prior to discharge. An additional 4% of infants were screened as outpatients. If an infant failed the AABR on two occasions, he or she was rescreened with the AABR or transient evoked otoacoustic emissions by a licensed audiologist, often while the infant was still in the hospital. Using this algorithm, 5% of infants tested in the well-baby nursery needed additional follow-up as an outpatient. Cost analysis of this volunteer-based program reveals a per/baby screening cost of $27.41.A volunteer-based hearing screening program is a viable option for hearing screening in well-baby nurseries but does not result in significant cost savings during the first 2 years of the program.

View details for Web of Science ID 000170845700004

View details for PubMedID 11518589