SECTION 310:540-1-3. Guidelines

(a)   All newborns in Oklahoma shall have a Hearing Screening Procedure completed unless the parent or guardian refuses because of religious or personal objections.

(b)   Requirements for the Hearing Screening Procedure are as follows:

(1)   For facilities with a two-year average annual birth census of 15 or greater:

(A)   All infants will receive a physiologic and risk factor screening prior to discharge.

(B)   Infants transferred to another facility will be screened by that institution prior to discharge.

(2)   For facilities with a two-year average annual birth census of fewer than 15:

(A)   All infants will receive a physiologic and risk factor screening prior to discharge if physiologic screening equipment is available.

(B)   Infants transferred to another facility will be screened by that institution prior to discharge.

(C)   If physiologic screening equipment is not available, the infant will be screened for risk factors and,

(D)   The parents will be referred for physiologic screening and encouraged to have the infant screened within the first month of life.

(3)   Out-of-Hospital Births: All infants who are not born in a hospital will have their hearing screened within the first month of life. The infant's physician or other health care provider is responsible for completing the risk factor screening and for referring the infant to a health care facility with trained personnel and appropriate equipment for a physiologic screen or an audiologist.

(c)   Hospital universal newborn hearing screening programs will be administered by an audiologist and/or health care facility.

(d)   The physiologic screening will include the use of at least one of the following:

(1)   Auditory Brainstem Response Testing (ABR);

(2)   Otoacoustic Emissions Testing (OAE);

(3)   Any new or improved techniques deemed appropriate for use in hearing screening procedures by the Commissioner of Health.

(e)   The Hearing Screening Procedure will be performed by a qualified and properly trained individual, and the results provided to the physician or other health care provider. Notification of the screening results to parents will be given prior to discharge or immediately following the Hearing Screening Procedure.

(f)   Newborns may be referred to an audiologist for a diagnostic hearing evaluation for these reasons:

(1)   They did not pass the hearing screening;

(2)   They passed the initial or subsequent hearing screening but were at risk for progressive or late onset hearing loss identified by the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing or did not pass the recommended six month follow up hearing screening.

(g)   The hospital personnel, audiologist, or other health care provider involved in the screening of a newborn will provide the parents with appropriate resource information to allow the newborn to receive the medical, audiologic, and other follow-up services as necessary.

(h)   The hospital personnel, audiologist, or other health care provider involved in the initial Hearing Screening Procedure of a newborn will forward results to the Oklahoma State Department of Health via newborn screening filter paper, fax, or secure email within one week of performing the hearing screen.

(i)   Physicians, other health care providers, or local county health department staff who examine a child within the first three months of life will verify that the infant's hearing has been screened. Infants not screened will be referred to a health care facility with trained personnel and appropriate equipment for a physiologic screen or an audiologist.

(j)   Health care facilities, physicians, audiologists or other health care providers involved in completing follow-up hearing screens or diagnostic evaluations will forward results and recommendations to the Oklahoma State Department of Health via fax or secure email within one week of performing the hearing screen or diagnostic evaluation.

(k)   To facilitate the reporting of newborns and infants who have or are at risk for hearing loss, the reporting requirements will be designed to be as simple as possible and easily completed by nonprofessional and professional individuals involved in the program.

(l)   The Oklahoma State Department of Health will utilize a tracking system to track infants identified at risk for hearing loss for a period up to one year in order to assure appropriate follow-up care.

(m)   The Oklahoma State Department of Health will compile and report data collected from hearing screening procedures at least annually and will share such information as directed by the Commissioner of Health.

[Source: Amended at 18 Ok Reg 99, eff 10-30-00 (emergency); Amended at 18 Ok Reg 1719, eff 5-25-01; Amended at 37 Ok Reg 1416, eff 9-11-20]