ASH 2020 | Multidisciplinary home approach for sickle cell disease
Wally Smith, MD, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, outlines a pilot of a multidisciplinary home approach for sickle cell disease (SCD) patients to combat rising costs and utilization of the health system. To address rising costs, an adult SCD medical home was launched with a two-year pilot period. Utilization was evaluated before and after this intervention, considering 30-day readmission rates, length of stay, inpatient days, 3-day emergency department return rates and outpatient visits. The results showed a significant reduction in average utilization. The multidisciplinary teams and quality improvement principles used at the SCD medical home were beneficial and the most effective elements should be further studied. This interview took place during the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, 2020.
