Day case management of sickle pain: 3 years experience in a UK sickle cell unit

• Published in: British journal of haematology Vol. 126; no. 6; pp. 878 - 880
• Main Authors: Wright, J., Bareford, D., Wright, C., Augustine, G., Olley, K., Musamadi, L, Dhanda, C., Knight, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.09.2004; Blackwell; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Ambulatory Care - organization & administration; Ambulatory Care - utilization; Anemia, Sickle Cell - complications; Anemias. Hemoglobinopathies; Biological and medical sciences; Case Management; clinical aspects; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Diseases of red blood cells; England; Health Care Costs; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Hematology; Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Medical sciences; Pain - etiology; Pain Clinics - organization & administration; Pain Clinics - utilization; Pain Management; red cell; sickle cell anaemia; Sickle cell anemia; United Kingdom; Europe; England; red cell; Hemoglobinopathy; Sickle cell anemia; Hematology; Managed care; Red blood cell; Hemopathy; Genetic disease; Blood cell; Hemolytic anemia; Pain; clinical aspects; sickle cell anaemia
• ISSN: 0007-1048; 1365-2141
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2004.05123.x

Summary A day centre was established to determine whether an alternative approach to the management of uncomplicated sickle pain would improve the quality of care and reduce hospital admissions in patients with sickle cell disease. Since the centre opened there has been a 43% decrease in hospital admissions and 49% decrease in occupied bed days. In the third year, 84% of patients treated for severe sickle pain were managed without the need for hospital admission. A centre offering day case management of painful crisis reduced unnecessary hospital admissions for uncomplicated pain. This approach is safe and cost‐effective.