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Vermont Birth Defects Tracking Program Program Title:
Vermont Birth Information Network
Organization: Vermont Department of Health
Project Period: September 2003–June 2008
Project Director: Peggy Brozicevic
Grant Title: Population-Based Birth Defects Surveillance
Programs and the Utilization of Surveillance Data by Public Health
Programs
Project Summary
In Vermont, no one system exists that tracks all birth defects. This
project will develop a comprehensive surveillance system for the
birth defects component of the Vermont Birth Information Network.
The program will start with a pilot project that uses data currently
available and will then expand to collect information that is more
complete, accurate, and timely. This surveillance system will ensure
that all infants with special medical needs are identified as soon
as possible after birth and that their families are given
information about interventions and access to services.
Project Goals and ActivitiesSurveillance
- Complete a Memorandum of Agreement with the Vermont
Association of Hospital and Health Systems and with Fletcher
Allen Health Care to obtain reports of hospitalizations.
- Complete required documentation and processing within the
Vermont Department of Health’s integrated client management and
reporting system.
- Establish a process for notifying parents that their infant
is included in the Birth Information Network, and a method for
parents to request that their child’s personal identifiers be
removed.
- Convene regular Advisory Committee meetings.
- Contract with an expert clinical geneticist or specialist in
neonatal medicine to advise on and review the process for
identifying cases.
- Perform routine clinical data quality assurance and control.
Prevention
- Collect data from the folic acid module of
the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey.
- Update an analysis of folic acid knowledge
and use by women of childbearing age in Vermont using data from
the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System.
- Continue to work with the Department of
Children and Families to include folic acid education materials
in a book that is free to all pregnant women and new mothers in
Vermont.
- Work more closely with the March of Dimes to
maximize the effectiveness of folic acid education efforts
throughout the state.
Date:
March 11, 2009
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities
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