Conference aims to educate US primary care doctors about SCD
University of Tennessee program funded by federal grant of over $350K
This month, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing is hosting a conference that aims to educate primary care doctors about sickle cell disease (SCD).
The Sickle Cell Disease Comprehensive Management for Health Care Providers conference is being funded by a two-year, $364,502 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, awarded in 2023. Sara Day, PhD, a university professor and assistant dean for community and global partnerships at the College of Nursing, is the principal investigator on the grant.
“I hope everyone who attends the conference gains a better understanding of this complicated disease and the current treatment needed to provide quality care,” Day, also a registered nurse, said in a university news story.
SCD is a genetic disorder that affects red blood cells, with symptoms that can include pain, swelling, difficulty breathing, and frequent infections. Approximately 100,000 people in the U.S. are living with SCD, with about 2,000 of them in the mid-South, per the story.
According to the conference team, medical care for people with SCD can be complex, yet patients often don’t have access to specialty care.
This conference, taking place March 28, aims to educate primary care doctors about best practices for managing people with SCD, so that patients are provided the best possible care. More than 150 primary care providers, as well as social workers, nurses, and other providers, are expected to attend. The conference will feature talks from SCD experts, as well as people living with SCD.
“There is such a shortage of adult providers with sickle cell expertise,” Day said. “We want to provide speakers who are experts to give providers the latest updates in evidence-based care. There have been a lot of breakthroughs that haven’t trickled down to primary care providers.”
Sharing breakthroughs to help primary physicians provide better care
Working on the conference alongside Day are Keesha Roach, PhD, also a registered nurse who’s a professor at the University of Tennessee, and Yvonne Carroll, director of patient services in the department of hematology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Carroll, also a registered nurse, noted that “the information provided at this conference is vital for primary care physicians, social workers, and other health care providers to enhance their understanding of the complexities of sickle cell disease and to ensure comprehensive care.”
According to Carroll, “the knowledge provided during this conference will foster better patient management, help reduce complications, and ultimately improve the quality of life for individuals living with sickle cell disease.”
The information provided at this conference is vital for primary care physicians, social workers, and other health care providers to enhance their understanding of the complexities of sickle cell disease and to ensure comprehensive care.
In addition to Tennessee’s College of Nursing, the conference is being sponsored by St. Jude and Baptist Memorial Health Care.
Mary Ellen Sumrall, vice president and chief nursing executive for Baptist Memorial Health Care, noted that SCD “affects a significant portion of our patient population” in the region.
“By educating providers on this disease and advancements in treatment, we can help achieve better care for our community,” Sumrall said.
The university’s College of Nursing has long led efforts to better educate healthcare professionals about SCD. The college previously hosted four boot camps to train nurses in SCD care. A fifth SCD boot camp for nurses is planned for September.
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