6 Colo. Code Regs. § 1009-6-2

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 11, June 10, 2024

Section 6 CCR 1009-6-2 - REQUIREMENTS FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ATTENDING A BIRTH IN A SETTING OTHER THAN A BIRTHING FACILITY

2.1

A. For health professionals attending a birth in a setting other than a birthing facility who perform the initial hearing screen and hearing rescreen "professional effort" means:

1. Providing the parent or guardian with information about the importance of performing a newborn hearing screening in a timely manner within 30 days of the newborn's birth. The information provided must explain that appropriate testing and identification of newborn at risk for hearing loss facilitates early intervention and supports the linguistic and cognitive development of children, including the value of a hearing screen later in life if there is a concern with a newborn's hearing, speech or language development. The information provided must also explain how often a failed screen occurs and next steps for a parent or guardian when rescreening and follow-up services are necessary. The health professional may distribute information that has been developed by the Department to comply with this requirement;

2. Performing the initial hearing screen in a manner that comports with the health professional's scope of practice or newborn hearing screening training to ensure accurate test results. The initial hearing screen will occur no sooner than 12 hours after birth and prior to the health professional terminating care of the newborn. If the newborn is unavailable for screening due to serious health problems that prevent hearing screening, hearing screening will be performed prior to discharge from services;

3. Performing a hearing rescreen for a "failed screen" result on the initial hearing screening. The hearing rescreen will be performed in a manner that comports with the health professional's scope of practice or newborn hearing screening training to ensure accurate test results. The hearing rescreen will occur within 30 days of birth;

4. Reporting the initial hearing screen and if applicable, the hearing rescreen result to the newborn's parent or guardian at the time of the screening;

5. Reporting the initial hearing screen and, if applicable, the hearing rescreen result to the newborn's primary care provider within 30 days of birth, and;

6. Reporting any missed screen or hearing rescreen failed screen result to the Department pursuant to Section 3 of this rule;

7. Referring the parent or legal guardian for further diagnostic testing as appropriate based on screen results and risk factors for hearing loss.

B. For health professionals attending a birth in a setting other than a birthing facility who do not perform the initial hearing screen or hearing rescreen, the health professional does not constitute a named submitter and "professional effort" shall mean:

1. Providing the parent or guardian with information about the importance of performing a newborn hearing screening within 30 days of the newborn's birth. The information provided must explain that appropriate testing and identification of newborns at risk for hearing loss facilitates early intervention and supports the appropriate language and cognitive development of children, including the value of hearing screen later in life if there is a concern with a child's hearing, speech or language development. The information provided must also explain how often a failed screen occurs and next steps for a parent or guardian when rescreening and follow-up services are necessary. The health professional may distribute information that has been developed by the Department to comply with this requirement;

2. Providing the newborn's parent or legal guardian with a list of providers that can perform the initial hearing screen and hearing rescreen. The list will include providers that have newborn hearing screening within their scope of practice or providers known to the health professional to have received training to perform newborn hearing screening. To the extent practicable, the list will identify providers that are within a reasonable travel distance of the newborn's parent or legal guardian;

3. Asking the newborn's parent or guardian at a postpartum appointment whether the newborn received an initial hearing screen, and if the parent or legal guardian indicates the initial screening has not occurred, discussing the importance of screening at the postpartum appointment and notifying the newborn's primary care provider, within 14 to 30 days after the postpartum appointment, that screening needs to be scheduled.

C. Nothing in this definition or the rule should be construed to require that screening services be performed if the parent or legal guardian objects, as the statute directs that screening for hearing loss is not required if the parent or legal guardian objects. If a parent or legal guardian objects, the health professional should document this in the newborn's medical record.

6 CCR 1009-6-2

43 CR 04, February 25, 2020, effective 3/16/2020