Day case management of sickle pain: 3 years experience in a UK sickle cell unit.

A day centre was established to determine whether an alternative approach to the management of uncomplicated sickle pain would improve the quality of care and reduce hospital admissions in patients with sickle cell disease. Since the centre opened there has been a 43% decrease in hospital admissions and 49% decrease in occupied bed days. In the third year, 84% of patients treated for severe sickle pain were managed without the need for hospital admission. A centre offering day case management of painful crisis reduced unnecessary hospital admissions for uncomplicated pain. This approach is safe and cost-effective.