In order to simulate a screening programme, at least the following information is necessary:
For neonatal hearing screening for well babies
- number of infants born per year in your area (can be a country, region or district)
- how many infants born each year qualify for the well babies protocol
- the prevalence of hearing loss in well babies at birth
- which babies qualify for the risk/NICU protocol
- which test device(s) are used, how many are needed and the associated costs
- sensitivity and specificity of the test(s) used (guidance available if needed)
- duration of the test
- expected attendance at screening and at diagnostic assessment
- which professional(s) perform screening
- the salary per month for these professional(s)
- the costs of the audiololgical diagnostic examination (after screening)
For neonatal hearing screening for risk/NICU babies
- number of infants born per year in your area (can be a country, region or district)
- how many infants born each year qualify for the risk/NICU babies protocol
- the prevalence of hearing loss in risk/NICU babies at birth
- which babies qualify for the risk/NICU protocol
- which test device(s) are used, how many are needed and the associated costs
- sensitivity and specificity of the test(s) used
- duration of the test
- expected attendance at screening and at diagnostic assessment
- which professional(s) perform screening
- the salary per month for these professional(s)
- the costs of the audiololgical diagnostic examination (after screening)
For childhood screening after the neonatal period
- number of children to be screened and their average age at screening
- the prevalence of hearing loss in the target population
- how many children are already known to have the target condition
- which test device(s) are used, how many are needed and the associated costs
- sensitivity and specificity of the test(s) used
- duration of the test
- expected attendance at screening and at diagnostic assessment
- which professional(s) perform screening
- the salary per month for these professional(s)
- the costs of the audiololgical diagnostic examination (after screening)
For photorefraction
- number of children born per year in your area (can be a country, region or district)
- the prevalence of of risk factors for amblyopia
- how many photoscreeners are needed and the associated costs
- sensitivity and specificity of the test used
- duration of the test
- expected attendance at screening and at diagnostic assessment
- which professional(s) perform screening
- the salary per month for these professional(s)
- the cost of diagnostic examination by orthoptist or ophthalmologist (after screening)
For visual acuity screening
- number of children born per year in your area (can be a country, region or district)
- the prevalence of amblyopia
- how many visual acuity charts are needed and the associated costs
- sensitivity and specificity of the test used
- duration of the test
- expected attendance at screening and at diagnostic assessment
- which professional(s) perform screening
- the salary per month for these professional(s)
- the cost of diagnostic examination by orthoptist or ophthalmologist (after screening)
The model will provide the following results of a simulation
- number of tests
- number of referrals to diagnostic examination
- number of cases confirmed by diagnostic examination
- percentage not diagnosed before a certain age (dependent on the type of screening)
- number of screens per case detected
- costs of screening until referral to diagnostic assessment
- cost of diagnostic assessment
- total costs (screening + diagnosis)
- costs per test
- costs per case detected