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Treatment
Costs

Treatment costs

Sickle cell anemia is a lifelong condition with symptoms and complications that vary considerably from person to person and from one period of life to another in the same person. Currently, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the only effective method of treatment, but it is available to a small minority of people, due in part to the lack of suitable donors.

In babies with sickle cell anemia, serious health complications can occur within months of birth, such as life-threatening infections, vaso-occlusive crises, etc., for which it is essential to seek care from specialized medical teams. Parents of these babies need to be educated to anticipate these complications so that appropriate measures can be taken quickly to ensure the safety and optimal development of their children. Early adolescence is the best time for these patients to learn in detail about the nature of their own condition, so that they can know how to maintain their health and how to respond to the disease themselves. Passing on this knowledge is crucial, in addition to keeping their regular clinical appointments. Adolescents and young adults face a number of challenges as the person with sickle cell disease becomes more independent under academic and work pressures. It is essential for these individuals to have healthy self-esteem and to motivate themselves to stay healthy. Aging inevitably brings concerns because, in addition to the normal wear and tear process, sickle cell disease can cause premature organ damage. To address these concerns, recent research in this area must be supported by the services of specialized teams. During these critical stages of life, people with sickle cell disease have physical and psychosocial needs that are distinct from those of people without the disease. These patients require comprehensive care in specialized medical centers that are truly able to meet their unique needs.

What is comprehensive care?

Comprehensive care is required not only for the management of sickle cell disease, but is very much about the importance of preventing its complications and creating a healthy lifestyle. This care touches on both physical and emotional health at various stages of life and is provided to individuals with sickle cell disease based on their family context, life events and environment.

The ultimate comprehensive care team should include hematologists and nurse specialists with the expertise and interest in caring for patients with sickle cell disease. The services of medical social workers and psychologists are also needed to help patients cope with their psychosocial challenges. The support of specialized medical personnel, such as emergency department physicians, pain management physicians, intensive care staff, pediatricians, interns, laboratory and blood transfusion physicians, medical geneticists and obstetricians, is absolutely essential at various times. It will be important for the critical care medical team to keep abreast of the latest developments in this area and to ensure that close communication is maintained with the patient.

The specialty medical center should be on call 24/7, treating patients with serious problems or providing real-time medical advice remotely to patients who present to their local hospital. In addition, by providing services to patients and their families, such as information, counseling, advocacy, support groups and other special programs, this will help improve the quality of life for patients and their families.

Until a cure is found for all patients with sickle cell anemia, providing the best comprehensive care for these individuals will allow them to achieve the best clinical outcomes and quality of life.

The Cost of Health Care in Canada

Without a comprehensive care plan for sickle cell anemia, the cost of health care continues to rise, especially with the increasing number of people affected in all provinces.

The cost can be divided into human and economic costs:

Human cost

The human cost of sickle cell disease is unquantifiable, as many lives are needlessly lost. The most vulnerable age group is the 16 to 35 year olds.

Economic cost

Many people with sickle cell anemia are highly educated, skilled and eager to contribute to the economic growth of their communities. While a small number of people are able to contribute, many others, due to a lack of appropriate and comprehensive care, are unable to do so. This often results in preventable complications and premature death. Below we have provided a conservative estimate of the economic cost, based on Canadian estimates of care in non-ICU settings. Intensive care would increase the cost astronomically.

It is important to note that:

Health care costs for 16-20 year olds with sickle cell disease are in the top 1% of the population.

Treatment of sickle cell disease by primary care physicians is in the top 2% of costs

Patient with sickle cell anemia hospitalized for one week, non-ICU = ~ $20,000.

Non-ICU admissions in a year = ~ $6-12

Using conservative estimate of 7 times per year; cost = $140,000 per year.

Lifetime costs are estimated at $9.1 million

Until all individuals with sickle cell disease are cured, providing an optimal comprehensive care plan for these individuals will allow them to

best clinical outcomes and quality of life.

Acknowledgement:Some of the information on this page is courtesy of: John K. Wu, MBBS, MSc, FRCP(C)

British Columbia Children’s Hospital and British Columbia Women’s Hospital & Health Centre

It is important to note that

Health care costs for 16-20 year olds with sickle cell disease are in the top 1% of the population.
Treatment of sickle cell disease by primary care physicians is in the top 2% of costs
Patient with sickle cell anemia hospitalized for one week, non-ICU = ~ $20,000.
Non-ICU admissions in a year = ~ $6-12
Using conservative estimate of 7 times per year; cost = $140,000 per year.
Lifetime costs are estimated at $9.1 million

Until all individuals with sickle cell disease are cured, providing an optimal comprehensive care plan for these individuals will allow them to best clinical outcomes and quality of life.

Acknowledgement: Some of the information on this page is courtesy of: John K. Wu, MBBS, MSc, FRCP(C)
British Columbia Children’s Hospital and British Columbia Women’s Hospital & Health Centre

SCDAC/AAFC
Unit 34,
260 Adelaide St. E,
Toronto, ON M5A 1N1.
Canada

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Treatment Costs

What is comprehensive care?

The Cost of Health Care in Canada

It is important to note that

Treatment
Costs