Teleaudiology and Early Hearing Care: Advancing Health Equity for Infants

How can families in under-resourced communities access timely, culturally responsive hearing care for infants who are deaf or hard of hearing?Corey Dion Lewis is joined by Pamela Rowe, MA, CCC-SLP, and Dr. Lauren Ramsey to unpack the barriers that shape early hearing care and where teleaudiology can improve access.You will hear:How health literacy, transportation, and mistrust delay early careHow policy and insurance shape pediatric hearing accessWhy trusted relationships drive long-term engagementWhere teleaudiology fits and where it does notPractical steps providers, advocates, and policymakers can take nowThis episode is for professionals and advocates working in maternal and child health, health policy, early intervention, and community-based care.Show Notes 0:00 – Welcome and why early hearing care is a health equity issue 1:10 – Meet Pamela Rowe and Dr. Lauren Ramsey 3:00 – The current landscape of early hearing care access 5:20 – Health literacy gaps and family navigation challenges 8:10 – Transportation and time barriers for follow-up visits 11:00 – Medical mistrust and why relationships matter 14:30 – Insurance and policy drivers of access 18:00 – What teleaudiology can solve for families 21:10 – Limits of virtual care and where in-person still leads 24:00 – Building culturally responsive systems and workflows 27:10 – Action steps for providers 30:00 – Action steps for policymakers and advocates 33:00 – What success looks like for infants and families 35:10 – Closing and how to connectAbout the Guests Pamela Rowe, MA, CCC-SLPSpeech-language pathologist, public health consultant, and advocate for equitable access to communication servicesFounder of a private practice serving diverse populationsDr. Lauren RamseyPublic health researcher and consultant with 20+ years of experience in maternal and child health, health equity, and disparities in care accessLinks and ResourcesConnect with Pamela Rowe on LinkedIn  Connect with Dr. Lauren Ramsey on LinkedIn  Contact: [email protected]  Join the movement: healthyproject.co  Follow The Healthy Project Podcast on Apple Podcasts. Share this episode with one person working in maternal and child health or early intervention. ★ Support this podcast ★