Newborn Screening for Metabolic and Sickle Cell Disorders Program

Program Participants

Georgia law directs that a statewide network for genetics services be developed as a cooperative effort between public health, appropriate medical centers and private practitioners. Achieving the goals of the Newborn Screening Program is dependent upon coordinated, systematic efforts from the following groups:

The Georgia Newborn Screening Program is administered by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DCH), Division of Public Health (DPH). The program is responsible for the following:

1. Oversight of the newborn screening system, including managing all follow-up contracts.
2. Monitoring and evaluating newborn screening practices.
3. Developing a quality control program.
4. Electronic data surveillance and tracking system, including maintenance of long term results.
5. Facilitating communication between practitioners, the laboratory personnel and the follow-up team.
6. Providing ongoing education for practitioners.
7. Reporting results to state and federal officials and to the public.

Hospitals are responsible for the collection, labeling and mailing of the first screening specimens, and for informing the parents or guardian both verbally and in writing when a second specimen should be collected prior to one week of age.

The Practitioners are responsible for prompt collection and submission of repeat specimens if indicated, by screening results or timing of first specimen; medical care; provision of parent education, support and when needed, referral to specialty care.

The Georgia Public Health Laboratory is responsible for specimen analysis, record keeping (as per CLIA (88) requirements), quality control of laboratory methods and notification of results to hospitals, practitioners and follow-up programs.

The Follow-up Programs are responsible for tracking abnormal screening results, diagnosed cases, linking confirmed cases to appropriate medical care and serving as a source of information about the newborn screening disorders for practitioners, parents and consumers. The Metabolic Follow-up Programs are coordinated by the Division of Medical Genetics at Emory University. The Sickle Cell Disease Follow-up Programs are coordinated by the Newborn Screening Unit at the Georgia Department of Public Health and Sickle Cell Center at Georgia Health Sciences University.

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