Mental HealthADPH Recognizes Three Hospitals For Newborn Screening Reliability, Alabama, USA
Two years ago more than one in four newborns screened for metabolic and other inherited
disorders in Alabama had to be retested. But thanks to improved training and performance in
hospitals and physician offices, plus the outstanding work by the Alabama Department of Public
Health Newborn Screening Laboratory, the number of infants who had to undergo repeat
screening has dropped to only slightly more than 1 in 10.
These results follow an accelerated training program which set a statewide goal of reducing the
unsatisfactory blood collection rate to less than 5 percent. Alabama"s five perinatal regional
directors went to each of the state"s 54 birthing hospitals and more than 500 physician offices to
provide training on the proper techniques for collection, storage and transportation of these
critical samples. Hospitals receive report cards every six months to track their progress
compared with other hospitals.
The health department gives special recognition to three Alabama hospitals which exceeded
goals for submitting their satisfactory newborn screening blood specimens for calendar year
2008: Providence Hospital, Mobile County, 97.1 percent; Thomas Hospital, Baldwin County,
96.2 percent; and Walker Baptist Medical Center, Walker County, 95.5 percent.
Newborn screening is a series of blood and hearing tests that are administered within the first
few days of an infant"s life and are required by state law. These tests search for signs of unseen
inherited or acquired disorders that potentially could have disastrous results if left undetected or
untreated. Alabama screens for 28 primary disorders in the more than 60,000 initial newborn
screening tests conducted each year.
During 2008, the health department"s Newborn Screening Laboratory and university consultants
detected a total of 109 disorders, which were as follows: Cystic Fibrosis, 11; Sickle Cell, 57;
Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, 7; Congenital Hypothyroidism, 14; Medium-chain acyl-CoA
dehydrogenase deficiencies (MCAD), 3; Carnitine Uptake Defect, 2; Methylmalonic Acidemia, 2;
Glutaric Acidemia (Type I), 1; 2-Methylbutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase, 1; Homocystinuria, 1;
Hyperphe, 7; and phenylketonuria/hyperphenylalaninemia (PKU), 3. In addition, at least 29
infants were identified with some level of hearing loss. Results are pending on additional
hearing tests.
"Our continuing, intense emphasis on proper collection of newborn screening samples is just
one of our strategies to help reverse the increase in infant mortality and to provide better
protection for Alabama infants and their families," Dr. Donald Williamson, state health officer,
said. "We believe more satisfactory handling of samples will help ensure all infants are
appropriately screened."
Bob Hinds, director of the Newborn Screening Division, added, "We are happy that these three
hospitals have done so well and are leading the way in providing complete, correct and
readable blood samples and we praise those hospitals which are close to meeting our reliability
goals."
Hinds further stated, "Other hospitals are also showing improvement and just missed being
recognized. Although the state repeat rate has been reduced by more than 50 percent, we will
not be satisfied until we exceed our goal at every hospital. That will take teamwork and
commitment, but, for the sake of our infants, we are convinced that we can get there."
For more information about newborn screening, please contact your local hospital or the
Alabama Newborn Screening Division, Bureau of Family Health Services, Alabama Department
of Public Health, at 334-206-5556, or log onto the Newborn Screening Web site at
http://www.adph.org/newbornscreening.
Alabama Department of Public Health