PITTSBURGH, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 14, 2004--Pediatrix Screening, the nation's largest private laboratory performing newborn metabolic screening, has entered into an agreement with the State of Pennsylvania that establishes it as an approved provider for newborn screening, making it possible for Pennsylvania hospitals to select it to process six state-mandated tests.

Pediatrix Screening, the newborn screening laboratory owned by Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc. (NYSE:PDX), currently contracts with the majority of hospitals within the state to provide extensive supplemental newborn screening tests to identify the presence of up to 50 metabolic disorders. The ability to serve as a single-source provider will make it more convenient for hospitals to comply with both their required testing and their voluntary expanded screening services.

The State of Pennsylvania mandates that hospitals select an approved provider to screen all babies born in the state for six conditions, including phenylketonuria (PKU), primary congenital hypothyroidism (CH), hemoglobinopathies, maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and galactosemia. In addition to the state-mandated tests, most Pennsylvania hospitals offer expanded supplemental newborn screening. More than 140,000 babies are born in Pennsylvania each year.

"The active leadership of the government, hospitals and healthcare providers throughout Pennsylvania has resulted in newborns having access to the most thorough screening available today," said Philip Vaughn, M.D., Vice President of Pediatrix Screening. "With the inclusion of Pediatrix Screening as an approved provider for state-mandated screening it's now possible for hospitals to offer comprehensive expanded screening while streamlining their newborn screening programs by having samples processed at one laboratory."

Pediatrix Screening employs a combination of technologies, including biochemistry, tandem mass spectrometry, and DNA testing to screen for the presence of over 50 metabolic disorders. When identified early, most of these conditions are treatable through relatively minor modification, such as dietary changes, or through medication. When left unidentified and untreated, these conditions can lead to significant morbidity for patients, and even death.

Pediatrix Screening is based in Pittsburgh, and is the outsource provider for several state screening programs including Mississippi and Nebraska, contracts with hospitals from throughout the U.S. and worldwide, and through its Website, http://www.pediatrixscreening.com, makes its screening services available directly to parents. Since it was founded in 1994, it has screened samples from more than 2 million newborns.

About Pediatrix

Pediatrix was founded in 1979. Pediatrix physicians are reshaping the delivery of maternal-fetal, newborn and pediatric subspecialty care, identifying best demonstrated processes and participating in clinical research to enhance patient outcomes and provide high-quality, cost-effective care. Its neonatal physicians provide services at more than 200 NICUs, and through Obstetrix, its maternal-fetal physicians provide services in many markets where Pediatrix's neonatal physicians practice. Combined, Pediatrix and its affiliated professional corporations employ more than 700 physicians in 31 states and Puerto Rico. Pediatrix is also the nation's largest provider of newborn hearing screens and the largest private provider of newborn metabolic screening. Additional information is available at http://www.pediatrix.com.

Certain statements and information in this press release may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to our objectives, plans and strategies, and all statements (other than statements of historical facts) that address activities, events or developments that we intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These statements are often characterized by terminology such as "believe", "hope", "may", "anticipate", "should", "intend", "plan", "will", "expect", "estimate", "project", "positioned", "strategy" and similar expressions, and are based on assumptions and assessments made by Pediatrix's management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and Pediatrix undertakes no duty to update or revise any such statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results, developments, and business decisions to differ materially from forward-looking statements are described in Pediatrix's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the section entitled "Risk Factors".

CONTACT:
Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Bob Kneeley, 954-384-0175, x-5300
bob_kneeley@pediatrix.com

SOURCE: Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc.