Regionalization of a birth defects prevention clinic

Screening programs to detect the carrier state of Tay-Sachs disease have been established in many large urban areas. A regionalized program has been established in the middle-Tennessee area to permit smaller communities to benefit from such programs. The numerical and psychosocial results of this program are discussed. The general concept of regionalization of health care delivery as related to birth defects screening programs is presented. Through such regionalized programs, obstetricians may be provided with new information concerning diagnostic and screening tests for genetic diseases.