By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Investigations Editor
Most Connecticut hospitals aren’t consistently meeting the state required 48-hour deadline to get newborns’ blood samples to a laboratory for genetic testing, recently released data shows.
In 2012 in Connecticut, the average time was three days, with 7.6 percent of samples taking five days or longer to reach the lab.
State law requires that newborns delivered in Connecticut be screened for several disorders, with the goal of providing prompt medical treatment when problems are found.
William Gerrish, spokesman for the state Department of Public Health, said Tuesday, “We agree that accurate and early testing is a critical part of the system to save babies’ lives, and feel that Connecticut hospitals’ overall reporting performance has room for improvement.”

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