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Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program

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Updates

March 2009 update:
Each month, VIHSP conducts over 3000 newborn hearing screens in participating hospitals. Since VIHSP newborn screening started in February 2005, we have conducted overﾠ75,500 hearing screens, and 98ﾠinfants have been diagnosed early with a bilateral permanent moderate or greater hearing loss.

(Figures reported reflect program activity up to and including December 2008).

Throughout December 2008 and January 2009, VIHSP newborn hearing screening commenced at a further 11 hospitals in metropolitan Melbourne (seeﾠVIHSP Participating Hospitals). VIHSP newborn hearing screening is now available to 57% of Victoria's newborn babies.

VIHSP Parent Survey

January 2008 -
In 2006 and 2007, we asked groups of parents to tell us what they thought of their experience with Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program. These parents all had babies born or treated at one of the following hospitals where VIHSP provides newborn screening —

The Women's (Including Frances Perry House)

Monash Medical Centreﾠ (Including Jessie McPherson Private Hospital)

Mercy Hospital for Women

Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne

Wodonga Regional Health Service

Overall the hearing screening program was well received by parents of babies who got a pass result on their screen as well as parents of babies who got a refer result on their screen. The table below outlines what these parents had to say about VIHSP.

ﾠProgram component

ﾠPASS group
ﾠ(214 surveys received)

ﾠREFER group ratings
ﾠ(82 surveys received)

ﾠBrochure received when booked intoﾠ
ﾠhospital

ﾠ94.2% Good - Very good

ﾠ96.8% Good - Very good

ﾠYour Baby's Hearing Screen pamphlet

ﾠ92.2% Good - Very good

ﾠ94.9% Good - Very good

ﾠVerbal information given prior to screen

ﾠ93.8% Good - Very good

ﾠ92.1% Good - Very good

ﾠWritten information given after screen

ﾠ87.6% Good - Very good

ﾠ89.3% Good - Very good

ﾠVerbal information about results

ﾠ90.6% Good - Very good

ﾠ95% ﾠﾠﾠ Good - Very good

ﾠVerbal information about what to do
ﾠfollowing screen

ﾠ94.6% Good - Very good

ﾠ95.1% Good - Very good

ﾠStaff member's ability to perform screen

ﾠ96.6% Good - Very good

ﾠ97.4% Good - Very good

(Parent ratings scales were Very Poor — Poor — Fair — Good — Very Good)

Overall, parents showed a high level of satisfaction with the program. In general the parents commented on the screening process as:

  • being done in hospital which meant they did not have to travel to have it done
  • being harmless
  • being conducted by professional staff
  • being given clear information.

Here are some parent quotes:

ﾠﾠ ‘It was provided at the hospital.ﾠ It was quick and efficient - no harm done.ﾠ Staff person lovely/friendly- easy to talk to- everything explained clearly and questions answered with satisfaction.’

ﾠﾠ ‘The screener was organised, friendly and gentle with my baby which made the experience a relaxed one.ﾠ Knowing that you can find out early is also comforting.’

Thank you to all the parents who took the time to fill in the survey. It is only with input like this that we can continue to provide a good service, and strive to improve it.
Thank you also to our dedicated VIHSP staff who take pride in their work, and do their jobs so well.
We look forward to being able to provide VIHSP newborn screens at more Victorian hospitals in the coming months.

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Last Updated 13-Mar-2009. Authorised by: Zeffie Poulakis. Enquiries: Melinda Barker.
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