Building a Newborn Screening Information Management System from Theory to Practice

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Public Health Systems
• Information Management

Background:

• Information Management Systems are crucial for newborn screening programs.
• Newborn Screening Ontario (NSO) identified needs for a more flexible system.
• A comprehensive assessment guided the redesign of NSO's information management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To redesign the information system (IS) ecosystem at NSO.
• To enhance workflow and communication management for newborn screening.
• To create a flexible and adaptable IS for current and future needs.

Main Methods:

• Conducted an end-to-end assessment of information management needs.
• Developed an idealized vision for a Screening Information Management System (SIMS).
• Created enterprise and functional architectures, technical specifications, and user requirements.

Main Results:

• Developed a flexible IS ecosystem and implemented process changes.
• Improved NSO's capacity to manage current and future workflows.
• Successfully navigated change management challenges through leadership and engagement.

Conclusions:

• A holistic, full product lifecycle redesign approach was adopted.
• Strong leadership and program engagement are critical for success.
• Anticipated benefits in program flexibility and innovation outweigh costs and efforts.