Breakthrough algorithm from MUSC reduces hospitalization for the youngest sickle cell patients

When a child with sickle cell disease arrives in an emergency department with a fever, health care providers know to take it seriously. Kids with the blood disorder are more susceptible to infections, and infections can become more serious more quickly than in healthy kids. In fact, the standard of care was that any sickle cell patient under 2 years old who arrived in an ED with a fever was immediately admitted to the hospital; however, many of these stays turned out to be unnecessary. And now many of them may be avoided.

The Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology divisions at the Medical University of South Carolina teamed up to create and test an algorithm for treating children with sickle cell disease who arrived at the ED with a fever. The algorithm helps providers better determine which kids really should be admitted and who should go home for treatment with close follow-up from the hospital. Over a year-long trial, admissions dropped 10%, and there was no difference in readmissions — meaning that the kids who were sent home got better at home. While the algorithm is still young, the early data suggests that kids with sickle cell disease may have fewer days in the hospital and more days at home.

Learn more about how the algorithm is helping kids by reducing hospital stays.