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.
