Comprehensive Infant Clinic for Sickle Cell Disease: Outcomes and Parental Perspective.

INTRODUCTION

Comprehensive care for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) includes penicillin prophylaxis, pneumococcal immunization, hydroxyurea therapy, and transcranial Doppler screening for stroke prevention. Along with caregiver education, these strategies have been shown to be effective in reducing early morbidity and mortality in this population. The subspecialty Infant Sickle Cell Clinic was initiated to improve access, education, patient outcomes, and family satisfaction.

METHOD

Telephone surveys were conducted with parents to assess satisfaction with the Infant Sickle Cell Clinic, compliance with guidelines, and comfort level with managing their child's SCD.

RESULTS

This quality improvement project reported high levels of parent satisfaction and improved outcomes with the proposed approach but also presents areas for improvement.

DISCUSSION

Our report presents a unique model of providing care to families with infants newly diagnosed with SCD. The group format serves as a useful model to allow families an interactive educational session with guest speakers.