Improving Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Care Using Web-based Guidelines, Nurse Care Managers and Peer Mentors in Primary Care and Emergency Departments in Central North Carolina

The overall goal of this proposed project is to 1) increase co-management between sickle cell specialists and primary care providers (PCP's); 2) increase the use of hydroxyurea (HU) which prevents Vaso-Occlusive Episode (VOE), EDs and subsequent hospitalizations, and death; 3) identify and link patients not receiving primary or SCD specialty care to care, and 4) shift healthcare use from EDs and hospitalizations to primary and specialty co-management. Many persons with SCD experience a poor quality of life, serious medical complications and frequent painful events that require treatment from SCD specialty care, primary care and emergency department (ED) providers. There are two dominating models of care in the United States; neither are ideal. Many people with SCD have all of their healthcare needs addressed by sickle cell specialists who do not typically provide primary care and are often geographically distant from the patients' home. Other sickle cell patients receive all of their care in EDs. Both models are inadequate and result in an alarmingly high number of ED visits for many patients. Current care models are neither cost efficient nor promoting optimal patient outcomes. To improve outcomes, the investigators will implement a new model of care for SCD using nurse care managers, web based-interactive algorithms, and test if additional patient provided coaching can improve outcomes.