TITLE 39

HEALTH AND SAFETY

CHAPTER 9

PREVENTABLE DISEASES IN INFANTS AND NEWBORNS

39-906.  DRIED blood specimen collection. (1) All infants or newborns shall have a dried blood specimen collection as standard medical practice in Idaho as required in this section.

(2)  For healthy infants, the initial dried blood specimen for newborn screening must be obtained between twenty-four (24) and forty-eight (48) hours of age. All infants must be retested. A test kit shall be given to the parents or responsible party at the time of discharge from the institution where initial newborn care was rendered, with instructions to collect a second dried blood specimen. The preferred time for sample collection for healthy infants is between ten (10) and fifteen (15) days of age.

(3)  For infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the initial dried blood specimen for newborn screening must be obtained upon admission to the NICU. Newborns who require a blood transfusion, hyperalimentation, or dialysis shall have a dried blood specimen collected for screening prior to these procedures.

(4)  For infants with a low birth weight, infants with an illness requiring three (3) or more weeks of hospitalization, or other infants admitted to the NICU, the first newborn screening specimen should be collected upon admission to the NICU, the second at twenty-four (24) to forty-eight (48) hours of age, and the third at twenty-eight (28) days or four (4) weeks of age.

(5)  For newborns transferred from one hospital to another, the originating hospital shall ensure that the dried blood specimen is drawn. If the newborn is too sick to have a dried blood specimen drawn for screening prior to transfer and a dried blood specimen is not obtained, the originating hospital shall document this fact and notify the hospital to which the newborn is being transferred that a dried blood specimen for newborn screening has not been obtained.

(6)  Prior to the discharge of an infant from the institution where initial newborn care or specialized medical care was rendered, the administrator of the institution shall ensure that an adequate dried blood specimen has been collected regardless of the time the infant is discharged from the institution.

(7)  For births occurring outside of a hospital, the birth attendant shall ensure that an acceptable dried blood specimen is properly collected for newborn screening as required by this section.

(8)  The person obtaining the newborn screening specimen shall fully complete the data card attached to the sample kit.

(9)  Within twenty-four (24) hours after collection, the dried blood specimen shall be mailed to the laboratory by first class mail or its equivalent, except when mailing service is not available. When mailing service is not available on weekends or holidays, dried blood specimens shall be mailed to the laboratory on the first available mail pick-up day. The preferred method of mailing, following a weekend or holiday, is by expedited mail service.

(10)  The administrator of the responsible institution or a person designated by the administrator of the responsible institution shall maintain a record of all dried blood specimens collected for newborn screening. Such records shall contain:

(a)  The name of the infant;

(b)  The name of the attending physician or other attendant;

(c)  The date the specimen was collected;

(d)  The name of the person who collected the specimen; and

(e)  A tracking number, if a courier service was used.

(11)  The administrator of the responsible institution shall ensure that a protocol for collection and submission of dried blood specimens for newborn screening has been developed, documented, and implemented. The protocol shall clearly define and document individual responsibilities, including but not limited to requiring that the attending physician or birth attendant request that the blood specimen collection be performed. The responsible institution may make an appropriate charge for this service and seek reimbursement when available.

(12)  The administrator of the responsible institution or a person designated by the administrator of the responsible institution shall record on the birth certificate whether the dried blood specimen for newborn screening has been collected. When a birth occurs outside a hospital, the person responsible for registering the birth of the child shall record on the birth certificate whether the dried blood specimen for newborn screening has been collected and submitted within twenty-four (24) hours following collection.

(13)  The department of health and welfare shall provide access to newborn screening laboratory services. If the administration of the responsible institution or the person required to register the birth of a child chooses to utilize this service, the department shall collect a fee equal to the cost of the test kit, analytical services, and follow-up services provided by the laboratory. The fees must be remitted to the department before the laboratory provides the test kit to those responsible for ensuring the infant is tested according to this chapter.

(14)  Laboratories receiving dried blood specimens for newborn screening of infants born in Idaho are encouraged to participate in the centers for disease control and prevention newborn screening quality assurance program. Dried blood specimens for newborn screening shall be processed within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt by the laboratory or before the close of the next business day. Normal test results may be reported by mail to the submitter. Other results shall be reported in accordance with department of health and welfare rules.

(15)(a)  Laboratories receiving dried blood specimens for newborn screening shall immediately report any unsatisfactory dried blood specimens to the submitting institution that originated the dried blood specimen or to the health care provider responsible for the newborn’s care, with an explanation of the results. The laboratory shall request a repeat dried blood specimen for newborn screening from the institution or individual submitting the original sample or from the responsible provider as instructed by the newborn screening quality assurance program. Upon notification from the laboratory and as instructed by the newborn screening quality assurance program, the health care provider responsible for the newborn’s care at the time of the report shall collect a repeat dried blood specimen to be appropriately forwarded to the laboratory for screening.

(b)  Laboratories receiving dried blood specimens for newborn screening shall report positive or suspicious results on an infant’s dried blood specimen to the attending physician or midwife, or, if there is none or the physician or midwife is unknown, to the person who registered the infant’s birth, and shall make recommendations on the necessity of follow-up testing.

(c)  Confirmed positive cases of biotinidase deficiency, congenital hypothyroidism, galactosemia, maple syrup urine disease, and phenylketonuria must be reported as required by department of health and welfare rules.

History:

[39-906, added 2025, ch. 45, sec. 12, p. 218.]