D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 22, r. 22-B2100

Current through Register Vol. 71, No. 49, December 6, 2024

Rule 22-B2100 - NEWBORN HEARING SCREENING

2100.1

Each institution shall establish a Newborn Hearing Screening Service according to the following requirements:

(a) Each institution shall designate a person to be responsible for the newborn hearing screening service in that institution.

(b) An audiologist, otolaryngologist, or other qualified person, including a neonatal nurse or a hospital technician, shall oversee each newborn hearing screening service. The person assigned to oversee the newborn hearing screening service may be full or part time, on or off site, an employee of the hospital, or under contract or other arrangement that allows him or her to oversee the newborn hearing screening service. This person shall advise the institution about all aspects of the newborn hearing screening service, including screening, and recommendations for follow-up testing and treatment.

(c) Each institution shall provide hearing screening services pursuant to this section, unless any of the following occurs:

(1) The procedure is contrary to the parents' religious beliefs;

(2) The parents withhold consent to perform the screening; or

(3) The institution transfers the newborn to another institution for treatment before hearing screening can be completed, provided that the transferring institution informs the Perinatal and Infant Health Bureau of the Department, or its successor, within twenty-four (24) hours.

(d) Newborn hearing screening may be performed by any of the following:

(1) An audiologist;

(2) An otolaryngologist;

(3) A neonatal nurse appropriately trained to perform hearing screening and under supervision by an audiologist or otolaryngologist;

(4) A hospital technician appropriately trained to perform hearing screening and under supervision by an audiologist or otolaryngologist; or

(5) A hospital volunteer appropriately trained to perform hearing screening and under supervision by an audiologist or otolaryngologist.

2100.2

Before discharging the newborn, each institution shall do the following:

(a) Provide the newborn's parents with oral information and written materials that describe the benefits and purpose of hearing screening, the procedures used for hearing screening, and the consequences of hearing loss;

(b) Provide the newborn's parents with oral and written information about whether it performed a hearing screening on the newborn;

(c) After performing the hearing screening, provide the newborn's parents, the newborn's primary care provider, if known, and the Perinatal and Infant Health Bureau of the Department, or its successor, with oral and written results of the hearing screening; and

(d) After performing the hearing screening, recommend to the newborn's parents and the newborn's primary care provider, if known, appropriate follow-up testing and treatment that may be necessary.

2100.3

If the parents do not understand English well enough to comprehend the information, the institution shall provide the information required by § 2100.2 in the parents' native language.

2100.4

For newborns that require additional procedures to complete the screening after being discharged from the institution, the institution shall provide the newborn's parents and the newborn's primary care provider, if known, with written notice about the availability and importance of additional screening procedures.

2100.5

An institution that completes a newborn hearing screening and finds that the newborn did not pass the screening shall provide the newborn's parents, the Department, and the newborn's primary care provider, if known, with written results of the screening, recommended diagnostic procedures, and resources available for newborns with hearing impairment.

D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 22, r. 22-B2100

Final Rulemaking published at 56 DCR 7631 (September 25, 2009)

Authority: Section 5 of the Newborn Hearing Screening Act of 2000, effective April 4, 2001 (D.C. Law 13-276; D.C. Official Code § 7-854) , Mayor's Order 2002-12, dated January 25, 2002, § 4 of the District of Columbia Newborn Screening Requirement Act of 1979, effective April 29, 1980 (D.C. Law 3-65; D.C. Official Code § 7-833) , and Mayor's Order 2004-172, dated October 20, 2004