The Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at GPR Klinikum Rüsselsheim, headed by Chief Physician Dr. Christiane Wiethoff, has received an important award for the quality of its care: The Neonatology Department has been accredited as a facility of the “Hessian Newborn Hearing Screening” (NHS) quality network for the initial screening. The corresponding accreditation certificate was issued on September 1, 2026, and is valid for three years, through August 2029.
At GPR Klinikum, newborn hearing screening is routinely performed as part of the U2 examination between the 3rd and 10th day of life. The goal is to detect potential hearing impairments as early as the first few days of life. The screening is conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Joint Federal Committee for the Early Detection of Diseases in Children (Children’s Guidelines). In cases of abnormal findings, the GPR Clinic also supports further evaluation and follow-up care through the Hessian Child Health Care Center.
“This accreditation is an important endorsement of the structured and quality-assured implementation of newborn hearing screening in our neonatology department. For us, it also represents a commitment to continuously maintain and further develop the high quality of our care,” says Dr. Christiane Wiethoff.
Newborn hearing screening is an important component of early health care. If hearing impairments are detected early, necessary follow-up examinations and, if needed, therapeutic measures can be initiated promptly. Integration into the state-wide quality network in Hesse ensures structured collaboration and the quality-assured implementation of the screening.
“When it comes to childbirth, short distances and reliable medical care are crucial. With our Mother-Child Center and the directly adjacent neonatal and intensive care units, we can provide close monitoring for mothers and newborns—even those with special risks—and respond quickly in an emergency. The recent accreditation of the newborn hearing screening program complements this high level of care reliability with an important component of early prevention,” said Stefan Keller, Deputy Managing Director of GPR.