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Newborn Screening - Resources for Hospitals and Health Professionals

 

Please explore this page to find guides, resources, and forms to help you navigate your unique role in the newborn screening process. If you need additional information, please contact the NBS Follow-up program team at 517-335-4181 or newbornscreening@michigan.gov.

Select your NBS Role Below: 

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    Image of the NBS Guide for Hospitals

    Michigan Newborn Screening Guide for Hospitals

    This comprehensive guide provides detailed instructions for hospital staff on the process for collecting blood spot screens in Michigan. This document is updated quarterly to include up-to-date information. 
    Newborn Screening Guide for Hospitals
    Image of Newborn Screening Online Training Course

    The Newborn Screening Online Educational Tutorial

    Three Michigan newborn screening courses can be accessed online and offer nursing contact hours. Titles of the trainings are: 

    • Newborn Screening - Michigan (includes information on blood spot screening and the Michigan BioTrust for Health consent process
    • Critical Congenital Heart Disease
    • Sickle Cell Disease - Pain Management
    The Newborn Screening Educational Online Tutorial
    Image of CCHD Guide for Hospitals

    Critical Congenital Heart Disease Screening Guide for Hospitals

    This comprehensive guide provides detailed instructions for hospital staff on the process for collecting pulse oximetry screens for critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) in Michigan.
    Critical Congenital Heart Disease Guide for Hospitals

    BioTrust Consent Staff Instruction Sheet

    After newborn screening is completed, left over blood spots are stored. The BioTrust is a program that oversees the research use of these stored blood spots. The choice to participate in this de-identified research can be made by parents around the time that blood spots are collected for screening. This document provides instructions on how to complete the consent process with families. 
    BioTrust Consent Staff Instruction Sheet

    Blood Spot Collection Resources

    Accurate completion of the newborn screening card and quality blood spot collection is critical. All specimens are examined for quality upon receipt at the newborn screening lab. Unsatisfactory specimens will require a repeat specimen collection. The following resources provide guidance and tips for card completion and specimen collection:

     

    Ordering Newborn Screening Cards and Brochures

    Initial and repeat blood spot screening cards must be purchased and are available in packs of 25. 

    In addition to newborn screening cards, the NBS program offers a variety of parent education brochures and infographics for hospitals to order at no cost. At a minimum, each family should receive the Michigan Newborn Screening, critical congenital heart disease, and the Michigan BioTrust for Health brochure. Materials are available in English, Spanish, and Arabic.

    Please visit the NBSOnline web store to place orders for newborn screening cards and educational materials. 

     
    Michigan Newborn Screening Brochure
    cchd brochure cover
    Michigan BioTrust Brochure Cover
    Newborn Screening Roadmap Image

    Newborn Screening Newsletters

    The NBS News is a quarterly newsletter designed for Michigan birthing hospital partners. Each edition highlights stellar performing hospitals and provides newborn screening updates, tips, and resources. 

    Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) Screening

    Congenital heart defects are the most common group of birth defect. CCHDs are one of the most significant causes of infant death in the United States. Screening for CCHDs using pulse oximetry is a mandated part of newborn screen in Michigan. Hospitals play a critical role in the collection and reporting of the pulse oximetry screen.

    To learn more about Michigan CCHD screening, please visit the CCHD Website

    Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program

    Birth hospitals play a crucial role in newborn hearing screening programs, which are designed to identify hearing loss in infants as early as possible. Early detection of hearing loss is important because it allows for timely intervention and support, which can significantly improve a child's language development, communication skills, and overall quality of life.

     

    To learn more about the Michigan Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program, please visit the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program website.

    Newborn Screening Dashboard for Hospitals

    The Newborn Screening Dashboard is a convenient way to review hospital blood spot and critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) screening metrics. The Dashboard is updated quarterly.

    View the Newborn Screening Dashboard
  • Image of Newborn Screening Guide for Homebirths

    Michigan Newborn Screening Guide for Homebirths

    This comprehensive guide provides detailed instructions for community birth providers on the process for collecting newborn screens in Michigan. This document is updated quarterly to include up-to-date information. 
    Newborn Screening Guide for Homebirths
    Image of Newborn Screening Online Training Course

    The Newborn Screening Educational Online Tutorial

    Three Michigan newborn screening courses can be accessed online and offer nursing contact hours. Titles of the trainings are: 

    • Newborn Screening - Michigan (includes information on blood spot screening and the Michigan BioTrust for Health consent process)
    • Critical Congenital Heart Disease
    • Sickle Cell Disease - Pain Management
    The Newborn Screening Educational Online Tutorial
    Image of BioTrust Homebirth Consent Instruction Sheet

    BioTrust Consent Homebirth Instruction Sheet

    After newborn screening is completed, left over blood spots are stored. The BioTrust is a program that oversees the research use of these stored blood spots. The choice to participate in this de-identified research can be made by parents around the time that blood spots are collected for screening. This document provides instructions on how to complete the consent process with clients. 
    BioTrust Consent Homebirth Instruction Sheet

    Introducing Newborn Screening to Clients 

    As trusted providers, it is important for community birth providers to educate their clients about newborn screening throughout their pregnancy. Early education allows families to recognize the importance of screening and have their questions answered prior to collection. Resources are available to help you introduce the screening process to families.  More information on newborn screening education can be found under the "Prenatal Education Resources" tab of this webpage. 

      

    Screenshot of Expectant Parent Brochure
    Screenshot of Roadmap Infographic
    Screenshot of What to Expect Infographic
    Image of the Michigan Newborn Screening List of Disorders
    QR code to access NBS online ordering form for midwives

     

    Newborn Screening Results

    Newborn screening lab reports are mailed or faxed to the submitter once testing is complete. A statement of understanding form must be completed to receive results via fax. 

    MDHHS Statement of Understanding Automatic Fax Transmission Option

    Carefully review results with the family. If follow-up requests are made, such as obtaining a repeat collection, complete those steps as quickly as possible.

    The NBS Program ensures that all infants with positive newborn screens receive rapid follow-up through a designated coordinating center. If a strong positive result is detected, the primary care provider and/or community birth attendant is immediately notified. Notification includes the screening results, action required, and the designated coordinating center contact information. The coordinating centers are responsible for arranging prompt medical management that includes confirmatory diagnostic testing, clinical evaluations by medical specialists, and treatment. To learn more information about Michigan’s follow-up coordinating centers, including contact information, please click here.

    After newborn screening is complete, clients may also choose to have the left-over blood spots destroyed or request that they be returned to their family for personal use. These options ensure that families have autonomy over the storage and use of blood spots. Storage and consent decisions can be changed at any time by completing the forms listed below:

     

    Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) Screening

    Congenital heart defects are the most common group of birth defect. CCHDs are one of the most significant causes of infant death in the United States. Screening for CCHDs using pulse oximetry is a mandated part of newborn screen in Michigan. Michigan offers community birth attendants the opportunity to obtain pulse oximetry equipment to community birth attendants as part of a loan program.

    To learn more about Michigan CCHD screening, please visit the CCHD Website
     

    Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program

    Community birth providers contribute to the holistic care of expectant mothers and newborns and can have a positive impact on the long-term outcomes for children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Michigan has a mandated hearing screening and reporting system. Therefore, each community birth provider should have a procedure in place to assist families in obtaining a hearing screen for their newborn.

    To learn more about the Michigan Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program, please visit the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program website.
     
  • The information below is intended for pediatricians, family physicians, primary care providers and other physicians who work with the Michigan Newborn Screening (NBS) Program.  NBS is a critical public health program required by law that screens all babies at 24-36 hours of age for rare but serious disorders. Providers hold an important role in receiving and communicating NBS results to Michigan families. Below you will find information on requesting, receiving and communicating results from the NBS program, along with additional educational materials that may be of assistance.

    Announcements: 

    The NBS program will be transitioning the 2nd-tier testing process for cystic fibrosis from a 60-mutation panel analysis to a 139-mutation panel analysis. This change is anticipated to go live in March of 2025. This document includes the list of CFTR mutations that will be included on this revised panel

    How to Access NBS Results: 

    NBS results are available on the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR) website approximately two weeks after a baby is born. The NBS results are not posted if the baby has been released for adoption or placed in foster care.
     
    If results are not available on MCIR, results can be obtained by faxing a request on letterhead from the primary care provider office to 517-335-9419 or 517-335-9739. The request should include: 
    • Baby 's name and date of birth. 
    • Mother's name at time of delivery. 
    • Primary care provider fax number. 

    If you are not the provider recorded on the NBS card or listed as the medical home in MCIR, the NBS Report Request Form must be completed, signed by the medical provider, and faxed to number listed above. The NBS Program does not give results over the telephone. 

    QR Code for Provider List Serv Sign Up

    Abnormal Results: 

    NBS results are reported to the primary care provider listed on the NBS card. It is important to ensure that you have received results for all newborns in your practice, as the recorded provider may be incorrect. The listed provider office will be faxed a notification for abnormal results. Read the “action required” on the report carefully for next steps. 

    You may need to: 

    • Write an order for a repeat NBS screen. 
    • Order additional lab work, if directed. 
    • Assess and monitor infant for relevant symptoms. 
    • Consult with a specialist from the follow-up coordinating center listed on the fax to arrange for confirmatory testing. To learn more information about Michigan's follow-up coordinating centers, including contact information, please click here

    The Newborn Screening Highlights for Primary Care Providers- Infographic contains additional NBS information for providers navigating abnormal newborn screening results. .

     

    Primary care providers play an important role in communicating both normal and abnormal NBS results with families. The resources below provide information and tips on result communication. 

    The resources below are important for families, especially those navigating an abnormal NBS result. 

  • Providing education about newborn screening (NBS) is critical to ensuring that families are aware of the importance of this life-saving public health program. Effective education helps families understand the NBS process, the types of results they may receive, and being aware of their choices after screening is complete. 

    The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) found that expectant parents prefer to receive NBS information during prenatal care visits and released the following recommendations regarding incorporating newborn screening education into obstetric practice: 

    “Obstetrician-gynecologistsand other obstetric care providers should make resources about newborn screening available to patients during pregnancy. Information can be disseminated through informational brochures and electronic sources and through review or discussion at some time during prenatal care. Integrating education about newborn screening into prenatal care allows parents to be prepared for having their child undergo screening as well as for receiving newborn screening test results.” (ACOG Committee Opinion No. 778, 2019)

    A variety of information and educational materials are available to help providers discuss NBS at different time points during and after pregnancy: 

     

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    Explore the tabs here for recommendations on information that should be shared with new and expecting parents. Each tab highlights information that providers should share with families to help them be prepared for their newborn screening journey.

     

    MDHHS recommends that providers share the following information with families before delivery: 

    • Introduce newborn screening: Families should be told about the required newborn screen during the prenatal period. Newborn screening is an important public health program because it finds babies with rare but serious disorders that require early treatment. 
    • Establish relationship with a primary care provider: Primary care providers, like pediatricians, play an important role in communicating screening results to families. Families should be encouraged to establish a primary care provider to ensure efficient communication of newborn screening results. Families should tell this information to their health care provider at birth. 
    • Outline choices after screening: Families should be aware of what happens to leftover blood spots after newborn screening and their options to participate in the BioTrust for Health research program.

    The following documents can be shared with families during the prenatal period. These documents are available to order in bulk free of charge through the Newborn Screening Online Ordering System

    MDHHS recommends that providers share the following information with families to help them understand the newborn screening processes that happen shortly after birth: 

    • Newborn screening collection: About 24 to 36 hours after a baby is born, the families health care team will perform newborn screening. Screening includes three tests: (1) blood spot screening, (2) critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) screening and (3) hearing screening. Results from the CCHD and hearing screening will be available immediately. Blood spots are sent to the newborn screening laboratory at MDHHS where they are tested for more than 50 rare but serious conditions. Blood spot screening results will be available from the family’s primary care provider one to two weeks after birth. 
    • MIchigan BioTrust for Health consent process: The BioTrust for Health is an MDHHS program that oversees the research use of blood spots that are left over after newborn screening is complete. Through an informed consent process, families choose if their child's left over blood spots can be used in de-identified public health research. Around the time that blood spots are collected, the family's health care team will give the family the After Newborn Screening brochure and the BioTrust for Health consent form. Families should read the brochure and mark their decision, either "yes" or "no" and sign the consent form. 

    MDHHS recommends that providers share the following information with families to prepare them for what happens after newborn screening: 

    • Blood spot screening results: After blood spots are tested at the newborn screening laboratory, results are sent to a child's health care provider. If an out-of-range result is detected, the baby's doctor will be notified immediately. Families can ask their primary care provider for the results at their 2-week well child visit. 
    • Choices for blood spots after screening: Families can change their BioTrust consent decisions at any time by contacting BioTrust@Michigan.gov. Families can also request that left over blood spots be destroyed after screening is complete or returned to them. To request that blood spots be destroyed, families should complete the Residual Newborn Screening Blood Spot Directive form. To request that blood spots be returned to them, families should complete the Requesting Return of Residual Dried Blood Spots for Personal Use form

     

     

    Screenshot of Expectant Parent Brochure
    Screenshot of Roadmap Infographic
    Screenshot of What to Expect Infographic

    Michigan Newborn Screening Brochure (English) (Spanish) (Arabic) 

     List of Disorders - Families can view this page to learn more about what conditions are included on the newborn screening panel in Michigan. 

    Newborn Screening Frequently Asked Questions

    Michigan BioTrust for Health Brochure (English)(Spanish)(Arabic)

    BioTrust for Health Frequently Asked Questions

    Consent Options Webpage - This webpage provides families more information about their options for participation in the BioTrust research program. 

    BioTrust Research Report  

    Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Virtual Baby Fair

    The Newborn Screening Educational Online Tutorial - The "Newborn Screening - Michigan" training includes information for providers about the Newborn Screening Program and the BioTrust for Health consent process. Nursing contact hours are available for completion of this free training. 

    Newborn Screening Online Ordering System

    Newborn screening brochures and infographics are available for providers to order free of charge through the Newborn Screening Online Ordering System. Most materials are available in English, Spanish and Arabic. 
    Newborn Screening Supplies
  • Educational video on the role of couriers in the newborn screening system

    Educational Video for NBS Couriers

    View this video to learn more about the newborn screening system and your important role as a courier. 

 

Updated 12-19-2024

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