A Quality Improvement Initiative to Decrease Time to Analgesia in Patients With Sickle Cell and Vaso-Occlusive Crisis: A Population With Disparities in Treatment

Introduction: Vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) are the leading cause of emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Timely administration of analgesia, within 60 minutes of patient registration, is the standard of care for SCD patients with VOCs. Patients with VOCs have longer times to initial analgesia compared to similar painful conditions. The primary aim of the project is to have 75% of patients with VOCs receive initial analgesia within 60 minutes of being registered, the current recommended time frame from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Methods: A multi-disciplinary team used quality improvement (QI) methodology to develop a plan involving multiple Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles. A rapid evaluation process was employed which included notification of a patient with a VOC being placed in a room, rapid evaluation by all team members and use of an electronic order set. Results: The aim was met 72% of the time during our intervention period, compared to 17% pre-intervention. Average time to initial analgesia was decreased from 61 minutes to 42 minutes (p-value < 0.001), while time to disposition was also decreased when time goals were achieved. Conclusion: Using a rapid evaluation process we were able to decrease time to initial analgesia in a patient population that has previously experienced delays in care and decrease overall time to disposition.