Pacific Northwest regional newborn screening: a paradigm of prevention

The authors describe the use and early results of the Oregon public health laboratory computer to monitor hospital and practitioner compliance with state newborn screening recommendations. The system tracks five major categories of screening practice in which 18 types of error affecting screening test quality have been identified. Results show that 47.3% of newborn screening specimens were submitted incorrectly according to current state recommendations. The program is being used to improve screening practices and to evaluate educational efforts