What's Happening in Calgary, AB…

Eight years after a screening program for newborns was introduced in Calgary, it's been revealed that city is leading the way in stopping jaundice in its tracks.

The program uses light reflection as a means to determine if a new baby has jaundice, and if it is found, at what level. This has resulted in the number of readmissions of newborns to be treated for this condition to fall by 30 percent.

According to Dr. Stephen Wainer, who is the Calgary jaundice program’s medical director, all new babies have jaundice at a low level, and this test can be used to help decide if it is at a point where it needs treatment. This makes it possible to address the problem before it gets worse and requires treatment methods that are much more aggressive.

The equipment used is called a Transcutaneous Bilirubenometer (TcB) , and it checks the level of bilirubin in the skin by measuring the reflection of a pulse of light. If it is high enough that it requires treatment, the baby can be admitted immediately to the Peter Lougheed Centre for phototherapy. A booklet printing company can design and produce informational materials that can be distributed to parents explaining the procedure, how it works and what will happen if a problem is found.

This is the only program of its kind in the world, and it has proven to be such a success that other health authorities in Canada indicate they will implement it for their own patients.