A Three Tiered Approach To Comprehensive Care
Longer life. Better health. Educated people. These are the primary goals of the treatment program at the Sickle Cell Society, Inc.
The National Institutes of Health recommend a program that promotes awareness, availability and use of comprehensive care to increase longevity and quality of life for patients suffering from sickle cell disease (SCD). These findings and recommendations are also supported by the United States Preventive Services Task Force.
Here at the Society, we have taken these findings and recommendations to heart, with a three-pronged, multi-discipline approach that addresses the medical, psychosocial and educational needs of the SCD patient.
In the process, we can address the needs of an entire community that may currently be undereducated about sickle cell disease
Medical Component
Sickle Cell Disease : An Overview
Levi Walker, M.D.
Former Medical Director of Sickle Cell Society, Inc. (1997-2005)
In 1987, the Society established a medical component officially called a "Reduction of Morbidity and Mortality Wellness System".
In laymen's terms, this means we try to make the primary and secondary symptoms of the disease more manageable, and work to increase long-term quality of life for patients suffering from SCD. This component includes preventive health care services, such as screening, immunizations and medical treatment. These services are directed by the Society's Medical Director.
Pediatric and Adolescent SCD Care
Lakshmanan Krishnamurti, MD
Director, Hemoglobinopathies Program
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Psychosocial Component
We have two major objectives in this component:
1. Develop and manage relationships between the patient and medical/psychosocial services.
Forging a close patient relationship is at the core of what the Society does, and is vital to the success of our initiatives.
Some of the services we provide include:
- Psychosocial Assessment
- Care Coordination Services
- Community Resource Planning
- Individual Therapy
- Psychological Evaluation
- Psychiatric Evaluation
- Family Therapy
- Combined Pain Management/Addiction Treatment
- Dietary Consultation
- Case Management Services.
2. Assist the patient and/or family in obtaining financial, vocational and psychosocial services.
There is a lot of information to sift through out there if you or your family is going to get the help they will need when
confronting SCD.
Some of the services we provide include:
- Home Assessment
- Evaluation of Possible Family/Environmental Problems
- Assistance With Applications For Insurance
- Medical Assistance
- Financial Assistance In Relation To Medical Needs
- Assistance With Transportation To Keep Medical Appointments
- Individual and Family Counseling
- Information/Referral For Food, Clothing, Shelter and Other Daily Living Needs.
- Information/Referral For Vocational and Career Guidance
- Sex Education, Information and/or Referral About Family Planning and Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
Educational Component
As with many things in life, to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Education is critical to the early detection and on-going understanding and treatment of SCD, for both medical professionals and patients.
Our Educational Component has two major objectives;
1. Provide primary care physicians, emergency room physicians and other health care providers who have regular contact with adult SCD patients with current information about the origins, diagnosis, anatomic, physiologic manifestations, treatment and
management of SCD.
2. Provide patient support groups, and interested community groups, with current information about the origins, diagnosis, anatomic, physiologic manifestations, treatment and management of SCD.