Primary care role in expanded newborn screening: After the heel prick test.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the role of primary care providers in informing and supporting families who receive positive screening results.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
Ontario.


METHODS
Family physicians, pediatricians, and midwives involved in newborn care.


METHODS
Beliefs, practices, and barriers related to providing information to families who receive positive screening results for their newborns.


RESULTS
A total of 819 providers participated (adjusted response rate of 60.9%). Of the respondents, 67.4% to 81.0% agreed that it was their responsibility to provide care to families of newborns who received positive screening results, and 64.2% to 84.8% agreed they should provide brochures or engage in general discussions about the identified conditions. Of the pediatricians, 67.3% endorsed having detailed discussions with families, but only 24.1% of family physicians and 27.6% of midwives endorsed this practice. All provider groups reported less involvement in information provision than they believed they should have. This discrepancy was most evident for family physicians: most stated that they should provide brochures (64.2%) or engage in general discussions (73.5%), but only a minority did so (15.3% and 27.7%, respectively). Family physicians reported insufficient time (42.2%), compensation (52.2%), and training (72.3%) to play this role, and only a minority agreed they were up to date (18.5%) or confident (16.5%) regarding newborn screening.


CONCLUSIONS
Providers of primary newborn care see an information-provision role for themselves in caring for families who receive positive newborn screening results. Efforts to further define the scope of this role combined with efforts to mitigate existing barriers are warranted.
Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, 155 College St, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON M5T 3M6, Canada.
Robin Z
RZ
Hayeems
Fiona A
FA
Miller
June C
JC
Carroll
Julian
J
Little
Judith
J
Allanson
Jessica P
JP
Bytautas
Pranesh
P
Chakraborty
Brenda J
BJ
Wilson
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008880:Midwifery; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009864:Ontario; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010372:Pediatrics; D010819:Physician's Role; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D024382:Professional Role; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires