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OBJECTIVE: Standardized pain assessment and interventions are recommended for youth hospitalized for pain. This quality improvement (QI) project integrated into a pediatric psychology service aimed to increase the standardized assessment of pain-related functional ability for youth with sickle cell disease (SCD) hospitalized for pain. METHODS: Children and adolescents (n=102) with SCD referred for psychology consultation for poor coping in response to pain during hospitalization completed a validated self-report of functional ability in addition to pain intensity during inpatient psychology visits. At the time of the quality initiative, routine and standardized assessment of pain-related functional ability was not integrated into standard clinical care. Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycles determined the feasibility and addressed common barriers of routine assessment and documentation of pain-related functional ability among youth with SCD during inpatient psychology visits with the primary goal to increase assessment of functional ability to at least 85% among patients with SCD referred for pediatric psychology consultation to address pain management within 1 year. RESULTS: Through iterative PDSA cycles, routine assessment of pain-related functional ability during psychology visits increased to an average of 93% over the course of 12 months. Routine, standardized assessment of functional ability was considered feasible within a pediatric psychology service. CONCLUSIONS/LESSONS LEARNED: This project supported the feasibility of integrating standardized assessment of functional ability to enhance pain assessment for youth hospitalized for SCD pain as part of routine clinical care in a multidisciplinary setting regardless of psychology referral.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia and Emory UniversityTransitioning from pediatric to adult care is a challenging process for adolescents withsickle cell disease (SCD). There is a critical need for well-designed and practicallyadaptable SCD transition programs that are compatible within the social and culturalcontext of the individual. The purpose of this article is to outline the design of atheoretically informed intervention to facilitate successful transition for adolescents andyoung adults (AYAs) diagnosed with SCD. The authors propose and describe the useof a developmental–ecological framework in creating and implementing the Sickle CellDisease–Age Based Curriculum for Transition (SCD-ABC). The SCD-ABC Transitionprogram’s framework begins at birth with the parent–caregiver and spans throughouta child’s development into young adulthood. This program involves a multidisciplinaryteam approach with collaboration from pediatric and adult medical providers, familyand peers, social services, the community, and adult mentors living with SCD. The goalof this program was to foster increased disease knowledge and self-efficacy for AYAs