Quality Improvement Practices

NewSTEPs aims to improve outcomes for newborns by improving the overall quality of the newborn screening system. To do this, NewSTEPs offers various quality improvement practices including a comprehensive site review program and a continuous quality improvement initiative.

Select each practice to read more below.

Site Review

NewSTEPs provides non-regulatory site reviews aimed at assessing various components of a newborn screening program including the laboratory system, birth facilities and follow-up system for quality improvement purposes. The site review is facilitated by a team of experts that evaluate programs in a customizable manner with a focus on assessing programmatic areas including state legislation and policy, ethics, funding models, organizational structure, point of care testing, education and more. NewSTEPs will schedule a guided, comprehensive site review and provide a final written report with recommendations.

If you have any questions, please contact Ruthanne Sheller.

Your Affiliation with the NBS Program*
Have you previously had a site review? If so, please indicate the date.
Pre Site Review Form

To be considered for a comprehensive site review, please request that your laboratory and follow-up teams complete the pre-site review form separately. This form will assist the site review team in identifying resources required to ensure the most effective site reviews.

Full Site Review Manual

View the most current iteration of the full NewSTEPs Site Review Manual.

Sample Site Review Report

View a de-identified Site Review Report for an example of the site review assessment and written outcomes. Please also find a presentation analyzing patterns in NewSTEPs Site Review Recommendations to understand current gaps and types of recommendations provided.

Analyzing Patterns in NewSTEPs Site Review Recommendations NewSTEPs Post Site Review Survey

Continuous Quality Improvement Program

The NewSTEPs Continuous Quality Improvement Program aims to provide all state and territorial newborn screening programs with the essential tools and techniques needed to successfully implement continuous quality improvement initiatives and champion an improvement culture.

The NewSTEPS CQI Program provides resources and support that include:

  • Online tools
  • National webinars
  • CQI facilitation and training
  • Technical assistance and coaching
  • Data support to track improvement
  • Funding opportunities, including the QI Projects Collaborative, to support CQI initiatives

Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Newborn Screening Systems Quality Improvement Project is a five-year collaborative providing tailored continuous quality improvement support to successful applicants.  

Follow the links to review the list of awarded programs from cohort 1 and cohort 2 of the QI Projects Collaborative as well as previously funded proposals.

Is your NBS program in need of CQI coaching or technical assistance? Do you have an idea you would like to share with the NewSTEPs CQI team or a suggestion on how we can improve? Your feedback is important, so please let us know by completing the form below.

If you have any questions, please contact Chenelle Norman.