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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:
January 03, 2008
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities
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