The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) recently revised the form used on the filter paper used for newborn screening. As to be expected with any change, there have been issues with providing complete and accurate information on the new forms leading to delays in follow-up. Hospitals also continue to struggle in collecting specimens that are satisfactory for testing. When their specimens are determined to be unsatisfactory, newborns are often required to have a repeat screen – a burden to both the family and those providing follow-up care. This could lead to a delay in diagnosis of a potential life-threatening metabolic disorder. The goal is for Oklahoma hospitals to have a less than 2% rate of specimens labeled as “unsatisfactory”. Click here to find how your hospital ranks.
Along with OSDH, OPQI would like to offer some free resources that can help you improve newborn screening at your hospital:
- Updated Online Education | The Office of Perinatal Quality Improvement has updated the free online training for nurses who are involved in the newborn screen collection. The online training includes videos on collection technique as well as information on filling out the new form and the rules associated with newborn screening in Oklahoma. Nurses who complete this training can receive 1.0 hours of CNE.
- This training is password protected and available for use only by Oklahoma hospitals. Contact info@opqic.org to request the password.
- Free Webinar | OPQI will also be holding a free webinar on October 9th at 11:00 am. During this webinar, Newborn Screening staff will be available to answer your questions about any aspect of the newborn screening process. Click here to register for the webinar.
- Schedule a Meeting | If you are interested in scheduling a meeting with OPQI or the newborn screening department to discuss your hospital’s process in detail, please contact us at info@opqic.org.
Visit Every Baby Counts for even more resources for newborn screening.