Caring for patients with sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a serious and complex condition. To give your patients the best care, it’s important know the latest guidelines for UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Michigan. Following the guidelines can help reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this disease.

Educational opportunities

Optum Health Education training can help guide you in treating SCD. Options include:

• Disparities in Social Determinants of Health: What can we do? (earn 1 CE credit)
• Health Equity Foundations (earn 1 CE credit)

Guidelines

• Have conversations with your patients about how SCD affects their mind, body and life
• Provide tips for managing SCD, such as recommending programs that prevent complications, strategies to manage pain and using hydroxyurea for preventing SCD-related health problems
• Use the following evidence-based guidelines in SCD treatment plans: 
  • Patients ages 2–15 should complete an annual transcranial doppler (TCD) screening
  • Patients younger than age 5 should receive antibiotic prophylaxis for prevention of pneumococcal infection
  • Offer patients ages 1–17 hydroxyurea treatment regardless of clinical severity to reduce SCD-related complications

Reducing missed appointments

Patients with SCD and their families miss important healthcare appointments for many reasons. Here are 2 guides to help you identify the barriers and be part of the health care solution:

• Health care professional guide
• Community-based organizations guide

Additional resources

• The Family Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs offers emotional support, information and connections to community-based resources to any families of children and youth with special health care needs 
  • Email cshcsfc@michigan.gov or call 800-359-3722
• Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Michigan Chapter Inc. provides education, assistance and advocacy for individuals living with and families affected by sickle cell disease
  • Email info@scdaami.org or call 313-864-4406 

Questions?

If your office needs SCD health plan support, we can provide one-on-one access to nurses and care coordinators. Email Barb Dusenberry at bdusenberry@uhc.com or call 248-331-8012.

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