The Ontario Newborn Screening Program: A novel referral center model

Newborn screening (NBS) for inherited and congenital disorders is a form of secondary disease prevention and a public health responsibility. The development of NBS programs is one of the most important achievements in health care. While the scope of the screening targets has expanded and methods have evolved, the screening process has remained essentially unchanged.In 2006, the Canadian province of Ontario implemented a new provincial NBS program that differs from conventional programs. One of the key differences is the structured and fully funded partnership between the ministry of health, the NBS laboratory, and the treatment centers in the province. Each one of these partners has defined roles and accountability. Another difference is the move away from the conventional recall process to an immediate referral system to selected treatment centers.In this article, we report our experience with the new screening structure and discuss it as a model for future NBS programs.