Code of Maine Rules › 10 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES › 144 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - GENERAL › Chapter 283 - NEWBORN BLOODSPOT SCREENING RULE › Section 144-283-3 - RESPONSIBILITY FOR SPECIMEN COLLECTION FROM INFANTS BORN IN HOSPITALS OR BIRTHING CENTERS IN MAINE

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
A. The
				administrator of the hospital or birthing center is responsible for ensuring
				that a blood specimen is collected from each newborn infant prior to his/her
				discharge from the facility in accordance with this rule.
B. Each administrator of a hospital or
				birthing center involved in testing under this rule must designate a contact
				person at the facility who is responsible for coordinating the facility's
				screening activities, and provide to the Department the name of the contact
				person responsible for coordinating the facility's screening
				activities.
C. The person who
				collects the NBS specimen by performing a heel stick must fully and clearly
				complete the filter paper form, and record in the infant's chart the fact that
				the NBS specimen was collected, including date and time when
				collected.
D. No infant may be
				discharged until his/her chart is checked to ensure that an NBS specimen has
				been collected. The facility employee who assembles the discharge papers before
				the infant leaves the facility must check that an NBS specimen has been
				collected and recorded in the infant's medical record. The fact that the infant
				has had a specimen collected must be included in discharge instructions that
				are given to the parent(s).
E. The
				Department will send to the hospital contact person test results for infants
				whose NBS specimens are received for testing. The contact person must compare
				these results to the hospital's list of infants discharged to ensure that each
				infant was tested before discharge, and that each blood specimen was received
				for testing. If any infant is identified as having been discharged without
				testing, or without a NBS having been received for testing, the contact person
				must notify the infant's physician or other primary healthcare provider within
				24 hours and the Department within five working days of discovering that fact.
				The healthcare provider must then take appropriate steps to have the infant
				tested within five working days of the discovery.
F. If an infant is transferred to a second
				facility during the first 24 hours of life, the NBS specimen must be taken at
				the second facility. The first facility must clearly indicate in the transfer
				papers accompanying that the infant requires an initial NBS test. The
				transferring hospital must ensure that the Department is notified in writing of
				the transfer within five working days of the transfer, using the transfer form
				provided by the Department.
G. The
				administrator of the hospital or birthing center must ensure that each NBS
				specimen is shipped via designated courier to the designated screening
				laboratory within 24 hours after collection.
H. All screening results will be returned by
				the Department to the hospital contact person (Section 3(C) above), by
				providing individual result reports. The screening results will be recorded in
				the individual infant's medical record.
I. The administrator of the hospital or
				birthing center must ensure that at least 10 percent of infants' medical
				records are reviewed within eight weeks after discharge to assure that
				screening information, including result, has been recorded.
J. The administrator of the hospital or
				birthing center must ensure that all employees are informed of their
				responsibilities with respect to this rule.