Living with a lifelong condition like sickle cell disease can be challenging. Our comprehensive sickle cell clinic is here to help you feel your best, offering medical treatment alongside behavioral, emotional, and social support. 
 
Our team of experts helps adults learn to successfully manage their health, reduce urgent or emergency care visits, and improve their quality of life. Your care plan is tailored to your needs, relieving pain and helping avoid complications caused by sickle cell disease.

Why Choose Us for Sickle Cell Care

  • All the experts you need: Your care team includes the specialists you need for the best results possible. Internal medicine physicians, palliative care experts, hematologists, and providers from other specialties work together to create your custom treatment plan.
  • Complete care: Our clinic brings a wide range of care resources under one roof, including medical care, community health workers, behavioral health specialists, nursing staff, pharmacy services, and care management.
  • Infusion center: As part of your care, you have access to our dedicated intravenous (IV) infusion center for sickle cell disease.
  • Compassionate care: Your needs are our priority regardless of your race, ethnicity, economic status, or ability to pay. You can expect to be treated with compassion, respect, and professionalism.
  • Clinical trials: Clinical trials offer you the chance to receive potential new treatments early. Our trials bring you the best evidence-based treatments for sickle cell disease.

Services We Offer

Our sickle cell disorder clinic offers the care you need to feel better. Our team helps treat and manage your condition with a full range of services, including:

  • Medical care: We offer treatments to help you find relief from pain, symptoms, and complications, like anemia or dehydration. Depending on your needs, treatment may include medications, intravenous (IV) infusion, or blood transfusion.
  • Social and behavioral health resources: We’ll help you find more positive ways to live with sickle cell disorder and connect you with the resources you need. Our community health and social workers refer patients to support services, including outpatient hospital care.
  • Patient education: Understanding sickle cell disease can help you better recognize symptoms, avoid hazards, and get the care you need quickly. We make sure you have the information you need for your ongoing care.
  • Referrals to subspecialty clinics: If you need specialty care, we can connect you with the services you need. We provide referrals as needed for services such as palliative care (for symptoms management), orthopedic care (for joint replacement), and nephrology (for chronic kidney disease).
  • Patient and family support group: Our Sickle Cell Education Series is a monthly online support group offering community connection and education.
  • Telemedicine: We know it can be difficult to visit our office in person. When needed, video visits and telephone visits are available for many appointments (pain management visits are in-person only).

What to Expect

With a lifelong condition like sickle cell disease, treatment is about managing your symptoms and improving your quality of life. At our clinic, you can expect to find relief from pain and complications like anemia and infection.

Your First Visit

You can expect to spend about 45 minutes at the clinic during your first visit. We’ll start by performing a brief exam and discussing your medical history, transfusion history, past treatments and hospitalizations, and other health conditions you may have. Our doctors will then go over medical concerns and potential treatment options. To create your treatment plan, we actively consult with you, your family, and professionals from a range of medical specialties.

If you’d like to meet with one of our behavioral health team members to focus on your emotional health, you may do so after seeing the doctor. 

Treatment

Your treatment plan is personalized to your unique needs with the goal of preventing future crises. While sickle cell disease can’t be cured in most cases, it can be managed with medications, IV infusion, and lifestyle changes. We’ll make sure you understand your treatment plan and how to take any prescribed medication.

When necessary, the following treatment options are available:

  • Anemia treatments: If symptoms are present, we provide blood transfusions to improve hemoglobin levels and manage anemia.
  • Pain management: If you’re experiencing a sickle cell crisis (pain caused by blocked blood vessels), we provide IV medications to help relieve pain.
  • Dehydration treatment: Dehydration can lead to sickle cell crisis — we provide fluids to rehydrate your body and relieve symptoms.
  • Infection care: Certain infections are more common with sickle cell disease. We work with your primary care provider to make recommendations for treatment.

Follow-Up

Sickle cell disease requires ongoing care to manage symptoms and complications. Most people can expect follow-up appointments every few months, depending on individual needs. Most of your visits will be between 20 and 30 minutes long, and we’ll take the time to address any concerns you may have.

Community Support

Our community outreach team works to ensure you’re supported and receive follow-up in the community. Community health workers work closely with you, your family, and caregivers to identify and help overcome barriers to your ongoing, coordinated care. 

Behavioral Health Support

Our integrated behavioral health team actively works with you and your family to address holistic needs. The team helps assess whether you could benefit from certain behavioral health treatments.

Support Group

Do I Need a Referral?

A referral from your primary care provider is required. 

Take the Next Step

If you need care for sickle cell disease, we’re here to help. Request more information by emailing SicklecellServices@llu.edu or call us to make an appointment at 909-558-7000.

Your First Visit

You can expect to spend about 45 minutes at the clinic during your first visit. We’ll start by performing a brief exam and discussing your medical history, transfusion history, past treatments and hospitalizations, and other health conditions you may have. Our doctors will then go over medical concerns and potential treatment options. To create your treatment plan, we actively consult with you, your family, and professionals from a range of medical specialties.

If you’d like to meet with one of our behavioral health team members to focus on your emotional health, you may do so after seeing the doctor. 

Treatment

Your treatment plan is personalized to your unique needs with the goal of preventing future crises. While sickle cell disease can’t be cured in most cases, it can be managed with medications, IV infusion, and lifestyle changes. We’ll make sure you understand your treatment plan and how to take any prescribed medication.

When necessary, the following treatment options are available:

  • Anemia treatments: If symptoms are present, we provide blood transfusions to improve hemoglobin levels and manage anemia.
  • Pain management: If you’re experiencing a sickle cell crisis (pain caused by blocked blood vessels), we provide IV medications to help relieve pain.
  • Dehydration treatment: Dehydration can lead to sickle cell crisis — we provide fluids to rehydrate your body and relieve symptoms.
  • Infection care: Certain infections are more common with sickle cell disease. We work with your primary care provider to make recommendations for treatment.

Follow-Up

Sickle cell disease requires ongoing care to manage symptoms and complications. Most people can expect follow-up appointments every few months, depending on individual needs. Most of your visits will be between 20 and 30 minutes long, and we’ll take the time to address any concerns you may have.

Community Support

Our community outreach team works to ensure you’re supported and receive follow-up in the community. Community health workers work closely with you, your family, and caregivers to identify and help overcome barriers to your ongoing, coordinated care. 

Behavioral Health Support

Our integrated behavioral health team actively works with you and your family to address holistic needs. The team helps assess whether you could benefit from certain behavioral health treatments.

Support Group

Do I Need a Referral?

A referral from your primary care provider is required. 

Take the Next Step

If you need care for sickle cell disease, we’re here to help. Request more information by emailing SicklecellServices@llu.edu or call us to make an appointment at 909-558-7000.