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Minnesota Hearing Aid Loaner Program. As Easy as Stone Soup: Developing a Statewide Hearing Aid Loaner Program. Kirsten Coverstone, M.A., FAAA National EHDI Conference Salt Lake City, Utah March 27, 2007. Minnesota Hearing Aid Loaner Program. General State Information.
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Minnesota Hearing Aid Loaner Program As Easy as Stone Soup:Developing a Statewide Hearing Aid Loaner Program Kirsten Coverstone, M.A., FAAA National EHDI Conference Salt Lake City, Utah March 27, 2007 Minnesota Hearing Aid Loaner Program
General State Information • Voluntary State for UNHS • 108 birthing hospitals with ~ 70,000 births • Should identify about 200 babies each year
Why a Hearing Aid Loaner Program? • Immediate access to amplification • Amplification trial before Cochlear Implant • Delays with authorization for third party payment • Short term needs while awaiting medical intervention • Responding to stakeholders needs
Agreement form Request form Inventory form Low Tech High Tech
Inventory • Manufacture Consignment • Manufacture Grant for Product • Families
FinancialGrants • Service Organizations • State Programs • Foundations
Minnesota Lion’s • Fostering a good relationship • General proposal • Community support
Lions Loaner Bank Inventory • 2 FM Systems • 2 Bone Conduction Aids • 135 BTE Hearing Aids (Batteries & Care Kits)
Program Information • Newly identified infants & young children • Loaned through Audiologists only • Approximately 6 months • Free to families
Lions Loaner Hearing Instrument Program • Loaned to over 200 Families • Average length of loan ~ 7.2 months • 53 Audiologists using loaner program
Parent Survey • Feedback from families on their experience with the loaner program • Survey • Letter to family after instruments are returned • Postage paid postcard included in letter
Name: _______________________________ (Optional) Thank you for your participation! Lions Infant Hearing Program 420 Delaware Street SE MMC#283 Minneapolis, MN 55455-0213
In order to evaluate the Hearing Aid Loaner Program we need your feedback. Please take a moment to complete and drop in the mail. 1. Date your child was fit with this Loaner Hearing Aid: ____________________ 2. Receiving a loaner hearing aid (s) was helpful. (Please circle a number) 5 = Strongly Agree 4 = Agree 3 = Neither Agree or Disagree 2=Disagree 1= Strongly Disagree Why: _________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. How will your child’s permanent hearing aid (s) be funded? (Please check all that apply) ___ Private health insurance ___ Public health insurance (e.g., MNCare) ___ Minnesota Children with Special Health Needs (MCSHN) ___ Service Groups ( e.g., Lions, Sertoma, Church…) ___ Self ___ Other: __________________________________ 4. Comments: __________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ THANK YOU!
Parent Survey Results • Helpful Average Score – 4.9 • Funding Source of Permanent Amplification (single source or combination) • 52%, private insurance • 12%, public health insurance • 2%, MN Children with Special Healthcare Needs • 9%, Service Groups • 36%, Self • 16%, Other (cochlear implant, not sure yet, friends, Starkey Fund, HIKE fund, surgery corrected)
Comments from Families… • “Time! It gave us time to adjust, time to save for purchase, time for more testing to determine cause & level of hearing loss.“ • “Thank you SO VERY much to the people who make this program possible. At a time when we were feeling paralyzed with grief over our infant son's deafness, it was extremely helpful to be handed the loaner aids so early & without a long process. THANK YOU! “ • “The program allowed me time to sign up for a health care spending account - since my insurance will not cover.”
Audiology Survey • The Loaner Program has technology adequate to meet your needs. __ yes __ no • What of the following would you like to see added to the loaner bank? __ FM systems __ Accessories – audio shoes / boots, care kits, batteries __ Hearing aids __ Other _______________________________________
Audiology Survey On a continuum please indicate the following: Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree • The loaner program responds to my requests in timely manner. SA A N D SD • The loaner program offers a variety of hearing aids which meet the needs of my patients. SA A N D SD • The loaner program allows children to keep the aids for an adequate amount of time. SA A N D SD • My patients are able to access funding for their personal hearing aids. SA A N D SD • Minnesota familes know whom to contact to receive state supported assistance. SA A N D SD • The loaner program is an assest to my practice and the families for whom it serves. SA A N D SD • I would support legislation which helps to fund the statewide loaner program. SA A N D SD
Audiology Survey • If there is greater than one month between audiological confirmation of hearing loss and fitting of amplification, identify the issues that contribute to the amount of time that elapses. __ funding for amplification __ issues with parent follow-up __ delayed physician referral __ incomplete diagnostic information __ inconclusive diagnostic information __ complicating health issues __ other, please describe_________________________
Survey Benefits • Provides information to gain support • Provides an opportunity for education • Validates program • Supports Legislation
Legislation 2007
Continued Growth • Develop website and online documentation • Change Parent Survey • Identify Service Gaps
Minnesota Hearing Aid Loaner Program • With a little love and imagination you can turn nothing into something everyone can be proud of… • Start with what is currently available and add as you go along. • Let people, programs and communities add what they have available. • Once all together you will have a program that will benefit families.
THANK YOU Any questions please feel free to contact me… 612-626-0946 mcdan011@umn.edu