Document Detail


Enhancing the quality and efficiency of newborn screening programs through the use of health information technology.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20207265     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
A variety of efforts are underway at national, state, regional, and local levels to enhance the performance of programs for early detection of inherited diseases and conditions of newborn infants. Newborn screening programs serve a vital purpose in identifying nonsymptomatic clinical conditions and enabling early intervention strategies that lessen morbidity and mortality. Currently, the programs of most intense focus are early hearing detection and intervention, using physiological techniques for audiology screening and use of newborn dried blood spots for detection of metabolites or proteins representing inherited disorders. One of the primary challenges to effective newborn screening programs to date has been the inability to provide information in a timely and easily accessible way to a variety of users. Other challenging communication issues being faced include the complexity introduced by the diversity of conditions for which testing is conducted and laboratory methods being used by each state's screening programs, lack of an electronic information infrastructure to facilitate information exchange, and variation in policies that enable access to information while protecting patient privacy and confidentiality. In this study, we address steps being taken to understand these challenges, outline progress made to date to overcome them, and provide examples of how electronic health information exchange will enhance the utility of newborn screening. It is likely that future advances in science and technology will bring many more opportunities to prevent and preempt disabilities among children through early detection programs. To take their advantage, effective communication strategies are needed among the public health, primary care practice, referral/specialty service, and consumer advocacy communities to provide continuity of information required for medical decision-making throughout prenatal, newborn, and early childhood periods of patient care.
Authors:
Gregory J Downing; Alan E Zuckerman; Constanze Coon; Michele A Lloyd-Puryear
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Seminars in perinatology     Volume:  34     ISSN:  1558-075X     ISO Abbreviation:  Semin. Perinatol.     Publication Date:  2010 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-03-08     Completed Date:  2010-07-02     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7801132     Medline TA:  Semin Perinatol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  156-62     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
Published by Elsevier Inc.
Affiliation:
Personalized Health Care Initiative, Office of the Secretary, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC 20201, USA. gregory.downing@hhs.gov
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Anemia, Sickle Cell / diagnosis,  therapy
Continuity of Patient Care*
Electronic Health Records*
Female
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Male
Neonatal Screening / standards*
Phenylketonuria, Maternal / diagnosis,  therapy
Pregnancy
Quality Assurance, Health Care

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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