Training Academic Palliative Care Programs to Care for Patients Living With Sickle Cell Disease
A national survey of academic palliative care programs in the Journal of Palliative Medicine found that only 37% routinely care for patients with sickle cell disease, despite the significant symptom burden and complex care needs associated with the condition. Researchers surveyed 180 academic palliative care fellowship programs to examine clinical involvement, training, and barriers to care. The most commonly reported barriers included limited outpatient resources (46%), staffing constraints (44%), and uncertainty about when to involve the palliative care team (30%). Only 38% of programs included sickle cell disease in fellowship training, and just 20% provided routine training for all palliative care team members. The findings highlight the need for stronger collaboration between palliative care and hematology teams, expanded clinician education, and clearer referral guidelines to improve access to palliative care for people living with sickle cell disease.