Comparison of Patient Centered Outcomes for People With Sickle Cell Disease in the Acute Care Setting
Comparison of Patient Centered Outcomes for People With Sickle Cell Disease in the Acute Care Setting
The Emergency Department has been the standard location where patients with Sickle Cell
 Disease (SCD) go to seek care for the treatment of acute painful events. Vaso- Occlusive
 Crisis (VOC) is the most common complication of SCD,

 The purpose of this study is to compare patient centered outcomes for patients being treated
 for an uncomplicated VOC in Infusion Centers (IC) and Emergency Departments (ED) in four
 locations around the United States.
Emergency Department care is marked by long delays, lack of efficacy, and conflict. A
 sub-specialty Infusion Center staffed by expert clinicians and delivering individualized care
 can improve care quality while reducing costs. The study will examine whether care provided
 in an Infusion Center (IC) is more patient centered and efficient than care provided in an
 Emergency Department (ED) for adults with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and uncomplicated
 Vaso-Occlusive Crisis (VOC).

 Sites will prospectively enroll patients in VOC seen in participating centers from either the
 EDs or the ICs. Specific data from the acute visits (e.g. Times of arrival, time to first
 dose of analgesic, etc) will be captured. This study will compare: pain management,
 disposition of subjects (home or admission) and patient experiences of care delivery in both
 settings. Subjects will complete surveys/questionnaires to asses subjects' experiences in the
 setting where care was provided.

 The four sites to participate in the study are Baltimore, Maryland (Johns Hopkins Hospital),
 Cleveland, Ohio (Cleveland Medical Center), Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Medical College of
 Wisconsin), and Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Our Lady of the Lake Hospital). A maximum of 500
 subjects will participate in the study. Participants will be enrolled for 18 months.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Confirmed Sickle Cell Disease patients who live within 60 miles of the study center or
 who already receive regular care at the participating centers.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Stable patients who have been on chronic transfusion therapy and have not had a
 painful episode within two years of enrollment.

 -  Patients who are pregnant.

 -  Patients who are unwilling or unable to sign consent.