Improving Care of Patients with Sickle Cell Disease and Sickle Cell Trait: The Hemoglobinopathy Learning Collaborative Series

Abstract

Sickle cell disease affects close to 100,000 people in US. This condition is characterized by chronic anemia and unpredictable pain episodes beginning in early childhood and leading to changes in functioning, diminished health-related quality of life, end-organ damage, increased health care use, and in some cases early mortality. Sickle cell disease is identified through universal newborn screening and is found in one in 2474 newborn Americans, with Americans of African ancestry most frequently affected. It is estimated that over 2 million Americans are genetic carriers of the sickle cell gene. Here, Oyeku et al talk about the Hemoglobinopathy Learning Collaborative series, a program which improves care of patients with sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait.