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 OakBend Certified as one of Texas Best
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ICHMOND, TEXAS - June 9, 2008 - Texas
hospitals across the state screen newborns for hearing loss as part of
a statewide public health initiative that is preventing many infants
from suffering developmental delays associated with undetected hearing
loss. OakBend Medical Center has been recognized by the State of Texas
as one of the best in the state for screening newborn babies for
hearing loss.
“OakBend
earned top marks with its recent certification as a ‘Distinguished
Newborn Hearing Screening Program,’ the highest rating possible for a
birthing hospital in Texas,” said Joe Freudenberger, CEO.
The
goal of the program is to ensure that newborns who have hearing loss
quickly get into services to develop their speech, language and
learning. “We’re proud to offer this service to the families in our
community,” said Freudenberger. 
OakBend
Medical Center earned this recognition by ensuring families and their
newborns receive top-quality services during their hospital birth
admission. The Texas Department of State Health Services monitors
hospital-based hearing screening programs to ensure specific quality
benchmarks are met. To be certified, hospitals must screen newborns for
hearing loss, refer those who need follow-up testing to audiologists,
and inform parents and family doctors of hearing screening results.
Certified hospitals have demonstrated a commitment to ensuring that
those babies born with hearing loss are detected early and channeled to
the best resources to get medical and educational attention.
The
Texas newborn hearing screening program is one of the largest of its
kind in the world and has continually ranked as one of the best in
country since being implemented in 2001 by the Texas Legislature.
Nearly 400,000 babies in Texas are screened annually because of this
program.
About one baby in 1,000 are born with a hearing loss.
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