Frequently Asked Questions
Has the Department of
State Health Services (DSHS) altered guidance on newborn hearing screening
protocols?
No. Continue to follow
national 1-3-6 guidelines and best practices. However, DSHS recognizes that
healthcare providers may need to adjust newborn hearing screening protocols due
to circumstances related
to the pandemic. Notify the Texas Early Hearing
Detection and Intervention (TEHDI) Program
at TEHDI@dshs.texas.gov about any protocol changes.
▲Top
My
facility is suspending all birth hearing screening. What should we do to ensure
all infants are screened without delay?
Your
facility must continue to create a record in the TEHDI Management Information
system for each birth. Contact OZ Systems for help.
Once
your facility resumes hearing screening services, contact families to encourage
them to bring the infant back for the screening.
▲Top
My facility is suspending outpatient
screening services. What should we do?
For infants who do not
pass the birth screen, inform the physician and the family following normal
protocol. If
there are local outpatient screening services available, refer the infant to
the most suitable one. If none are available for a referral, wait until your
facility resumes outpatient screening services, contact the families and
encourage them to bring the infants back for the follow-up screen.
▲Top
I
have an infant who needs audiological assessment, but the audiology clinic is
closed. What should I do?
If an infant needs an
audiological assessment and there is no local provider available to perform the
evaluation, place that infant on a pending list so that you can make a referral once the provider
resumes normal services.
▲Top
How should I document in the TEHDI MIS?
Download
detailed instructions on how to properly document in the TEHDI MIS during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
▲Top
Contact
TEHDI Program
tehdi@dshs.texas.gov
OZ Systems
1-866-427-5768,
select option 3
ozhelp@oz-systems.com