Neonatology Providers Need Education About Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening Algorithms
Nilesh Seshadri1, Lori Christ2,3, David Munson2,3
1Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, The Hub for Clinical Collaboration, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3500 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
International Journal of Neonatal Screening
|July 23, 2025
Summary
Most neonatology providers were unaware of updated cystic fibrosis (CF) newborn screening (NBS) protocols. Improving provider education on CF NBS algorithms is crucial for timely diagnosis in critically ill infants.
Area of Science:
- Medical Research
- Pediatrics
- Genetics
Background:
- Effective communication of newborn screening (NBS) results is vital for timely diagnosis and treatment.
- Limited data exists on communication between NBS programs and neonatologists, a critical group for infants requiring further diagnostic testing.
- Delays in diagnostic testing following an abnormal NBS can significantly prolong the time to diagnosis for conditions like cystic fibrosis (CF).
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess neonatology provider knowledge and awareness of the Pennsylvania state CF NBS algorithm following a recent update.
- To evaluate provider comfort in interpreting CF NBS results and identifying subsequent diagnostic steps for critically ill infants.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to neonatology providers in Pennsylvania.
- The survey collected data on provider demographics, awareness of CF NBS algorithm updates, and knowledge of the diagnostic testing pathway.
- Key metrics included awareness of updates and ability to identify next diagnostic steps.
Main Results:
- A significant majority (86%) of respondents were unaware of the recent Pennsylvania CF NBS algorithm updates.
- Provider comfort levels in interpreting CF NBS results showed variability.
- Only 40% of surveyed providers could correctly identify the necessary diagnostic testing steps for a critically ill infant with an abnormal CF NBS result.
Conclusions:
- The study highlights a substantial gap in neonatology provider awareness regarding updated CF NBS protocols.
- There is a clear need for targeted educational initiatives to improve neonatology providers' understanding of CF NBS algorithms.
- Enhanced education is essential to facilitate prompt diagnosis and intervention for infants identified through CF NBS.
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