ArticleCMAJ open
Cost savings with transcutaneous screening versus total serum bilirubin measurement for newborn jaundice in hospital and community settings: a cost-minimization analysis.
Article in CMAJ open. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 25 citations in OpenAlex.
- Universal Transcutaneous Bilirubin Screening in a Midwifery-Led Home Care Setting.JAMA network open · 2026Article
- Comparing Kramer's rule with transcutaneous bilirubin vs. Kramer's rule only in reducing total serum bilirubin sampling among neonates with jaundice.BMC pediatrics · 2025Article
- Transcutaneous bilirubin reliability during and after phototherapy depending on skin color.European journal of pediatrics · 2024Observational
- Understanding stakeholder perspectives on Apgar score, cyanosis and identifying jaundice in ethnic minority neonates.PloS one · 2024Article
- Article
- Identification and Quantification of Jaundice by Trans-Conjunctiva Optical Imaging Using a Human Brain-like Algorithm: A Cross-Sectional Study.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Evaluation of a new transcutaneous bilirubinometer in newborn infants.Scientific reports · 2022Article
- Improving quality of transcutaneous bilirubin measurements: Value of in-house developed quality control.Practical laboratory medicine · 2021Article
- Reliability of transcutaneous bilirubin determination based on skin color determined by a neonatal skin color scale of our own.European journal of pediatrics · 2021Observational
- Evaluation of the Relationship Between Transcutaneous Bilirubin Measurement and Total Serum Bilirubin in Neonatal Patients Followed for Jaundice.Sisli Etfal Hastanesi tip bulteni · 2021Article
- Article
- Quality improvement initiative using transcutaneous bilirubin nomogram to decrease serum bilirubin sampling in low-risk babies.BMJ paediatrics open · 2019Article
- Going home with baby: innovative and comprehensive support for new mothers.Primary health care research & development · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundLeading authorities in North America recommend universal screening via total serum bilirubin (TSB) measurement or transcutaneous bilirubinometry (TcB) for kernicterus prevention. We assessed costs associated with these 2 screening methods in hospital and in urban and rural community settings.
methodsOur tertiary care centre in Saskatoon, with about 5600 births per year, serves the local population of 300 000; in addition, 30% of patients are referred from outside the local community and surrounding area. We obtained health administrative data for two 6-month periods: before (June 1 to Nov. 30, 2015 [TSB program]) and after (June 1 to Nov. 30, 2016 [TcB-TSB program]) implementation of universal screening with TcB. Data on nurses' time and mileage were collected to assess the mean time for screening and sample transportation. We performed a cost-minimization analysis.
resultsThe observed requirement for TSB blood draws decreased by 71.4% after implementation of TcB (1383.2/1000 live births to 397.8/1000 live births), whereas the overall number of screens increased from 1383.2 to 2758.6/1000 live births. The mean time per screen decreased from 12.52 (95% confidence interval [CI] 10.44-14.59) minutes with TSB to 2.94 (95% CI 2.55-3.33) minutes with TcB (
interpretationThe TcB-TSB program reduced nurses' time to screen and provided immediate results at the point of care. Transcutaneous bilirubinometry reduced the requirement for painful heel pokes while improving access to screening and decreasing the overall program cost.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.