Sickle cell pain management meets technology: Everybody wins

Summary 

Sickle cell disease is a chronic disease characterized by frequent exacerbations of its symptomatology. Intense pain is a hallmark of a sickle cell crisis, yet unfortunately, inadequate pain management in this population is well documented. Frequent visits to the Emergency Department (ED) by those in crisis expose them to several barriers that inhibit effective care, particularly pain management. Suspicion of drug seeking behaviour based on ethnicity or race, requests for specific drugs and doses, administration of large doses of opioid without relief, and a general lack of knowledge regarding pain management among healthcare professionals are some of these barriers. Using information technology, an effort was undertaken to simultaneously address many of the barriers to pain management for sickle cell crisis patients in the emergency department, and enhance the quality of pain management they receive.

Keywords: Sickle cell, Information technology, Pain management, Emergency department