FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The Alabama Department of Public Health recently recognized Thomas Hospital for exceeding the state’s newborn screening reliability goal for 2008. The Eastern Shore health care provider submitted satisfactory newborn blood specimens 96.2 percent of the time during the period.

The state standard is at least a 95 percent success rate, and not only did Thomas surpass that goal, the hospital placed second among Alabama’s 54 birthing hospitals. Providence Hospital in Mobile was first at 97.1 percent.

“Newborn screenings detect a variety of congenital illnesses,” said Vicky Curtis, director of the Thomas Hospital Birthing Center. “They are not a diagnosis of the illness, but mean more study is needed.”

The series of blood and hearing tests are administered within the first few days of an infant’s life, and are required by state law. These tests are designed to detect signs of unseen inherited or acquired disorders that potentially could have disastrous results if left undetected or untreated. Alabama screens for 28 primary disorders in the more than 60,000 initial newborn screening tests conducted each year.

According to state health officials, more than one in four newborns screened for metabolic and other inherited disorders in Alabama had to be retested just two years ago. But because of improved training and performance in hospitals and physician offices, in close cooperation the Alabama Department of Public Health Newborn Screening Laboratory, the number of infants who had to undergo repeat screening has dropped to only slightly more than 1 in 10.

Curtis said the test involves placing a blood sample that is of sufficient quantity to fill a circle on a special type of filter paper. Adding a second sample to meet the need is not acceptable because it corrupts the process.

“They take punches out of that paper, so it must be evenly saturated,” she said. “It comes down to getting a good specimen.”

ADPH’s Newborn Screening Laboratory and university consultants detected a total of 109 disorders in 2008, including cystic fibrosis (11 cases), sickle cell (57), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (7), congenital hypothyroidism (14), medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiencies (MCAD) (3), carnitine uptake defect (2), methylmalonic acidemia (2), glutaric acidemia (Type I) (1), 2-methylbutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase (1), homocystinuria (1), hyperphe (7) and phenylketonuria/hyperphenylalaninemia (PKU) (3). At least 29 infants were also identified with some level of hearing loss. Results are pending on additional hearing tests.

Dr. Donald Williamson, state health officer, stated, “Our continuing, intense emphasis on proper collection of newborn screening samples is just one of our strategies to help reverse the increase in infant mortality and to provide better protection for Alabama infants and their families. We believe more satisfactory handling of samples will help ensure all infants are appropriately screened.”

An accelerated training program was put in place in which Alabama’s five perinatal regional directors went to each of the state’s birthing hospitals and more than 500 physician offices to provide training on the proper techniques for collection, storage and transportation of blood samples. Hospitals receive report cards every six months to track their progress compared with other hospitals.

“We have such long-term staff that have experience, and are dedicated,” Curtis said. “It’s their good experience and good skills that got us this recognition.”

Registered nurses conduct the newborn testing at Thomas Hospital. She pointed out, “Intervention (based on the results) can make a difference for a child.”

Around 1,100 babies are born at Thomas each year, Curtis said. The hospital has 10 obstetricians and 11 pediatricians on staff. Around 45 registered nurses are on the duty roster in the birthing center, which has a total of 56 employees.

The unit houses a postpartum section, labor and delivery area and newborn nursery.

“We have great customer satisfaction scores in general (at Thomas),” Curtis said. “I hope this award will build confidence in our department, and show we are committed to moms and babies.”

For more information about newborn screening, contact the Alabama Newborn Screening Division, Bureau of Family Health Services, Alabama Department of Public Health, at (334) 206-5556, or log on to the Newborn Screening Web site at http://www.adph.org/newbornscreening.