title: Evaluation of the Natus ALGO 3 Newborn Hearing Screener.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the ALGO 3 Newborn Hearing Screener (Natus Medical Inc.) to the ALGO 2e Newborn Hearing Screener (Natus Medical Inc.).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three maternity hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  199 newborns enrolled; 194 completed the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were tested using either the ALGO 3 screener or the ALGO 2e screener first, and then screened with the alternate device. Initial screens resulting in REFER outcomes were repeated using the same device. An ALGO 2e PASS result was accepted as adequate evidence of hearing. Two sequential ALGO 2e REFER results required further diagnostic testing to determine hearing status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Average screening times and referral rates of both hearing screeners.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ALGO 3 screener averaged 70.8 seconds (95% confidence interval = 34.5-107.1 seconds), or was 23% faster than the ALGO 2e screener (p = .0002). There were 48% fewer REFER results after initial screening with the ALGO 3 screener (5.7%) than with the ALGO 2e screener (10.9%) (p = .06). Faster screen times and fewer referrals were noted at each hospital.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ALGO 3 screener can increase caregiver efficiency by accurately screening hearing in newborns faster and with fewer REFER results than the ALGO 2e screener.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA. Gail.Murray@uhhs.com
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Mary C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ormson
authors.forename: Michelle H L
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ninan
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ninan
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dockery
authors.forename: Avroy A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fanaroff
mesh_terms: D001300:Audiometry, Evoked Response / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors