Newborn+screening+result+changes

Hi All Providers,

The California State Newborn Screening Program that runs blood samples for a wide array of metabolic and genetic diseases on all babies born in the state just sent notification that they have implemented a more specific screen for SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency) as of March 1, 2013. They will now report out T-Cell Receptor Excision Circles (TRECs) as the test for SCID. The Newborn Screening result mailers have been reformatted to include this test. Additional time is necessary to obtain the SCID screening results and therefore **result mailers will take an extra 10 to 14 days to reach medical records.** Once received by medical records they are then scanned into the baby's chart.

Providers should not expect to have this result available until at least the infant's one month visit. As always any critical abnormalities are called directly to the pediatrician of the day and are dealt with immediately with documentation in EPIC. More minor abnormalities are documented at a later date in the newborn's problem list. Any provider with a question regarding newborn screening can call the pediatrician on call for the day or our area service center at Stanford University at 650-724-8120. In additional the California State Website has a large amount of information about the program, the disorders it screens for etc with specific links for providers. __http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/nbs/Pages/default.aspx__

Thanks,

Francine Jolton, M.D.