(a) A child born in a hospital or other birthing facility shall be screened for hearing loss prior to discharge from that facility. The attending health care professional shall refer a child born in a setting other than a hospital or other birthing facility to the department of health or an appropriate hearing screening provider as listed in the latest edition of the directory of hearing screening providers in Tennessee for hearing screening. A child born on an emergency basis in a hospital that does not otherwise provide obstetrical or maternity services and that does not provide infant hearing screening tests prior to discharge of an infant from the hospital, shall refer a child born in that facility to the department of health or an appropriate hearing screening provider as listed in the latest edition of the directory of hearing screening providers in Tennessee for hearing screening. The hearing screening test shall be provided in accordance with current hearing screening standards established by a nationally recognized organization such as the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing Screening of the American Academy of Pediatrics. All screening providers or entities shall report their screening results to the department of health.
hearing screening test: means a screening or test provided in accordance with current hearing screening standards established by a nationally recognized organization such as the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing Screening of the American Academy of Pediatrics. See Tennessee Code 68-5-902
Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
(b) Any medical or audiologic provider performing follow-up tests shall report the results of the tests to the department of health.
