Sickle cell disease (SCD), while considered a rare disease, is the most common genetic blood disorder and affects approximately 100,000 Americans, primarily of African and Hispanic descent. Individuals with SCD can experience multiple life-threatening problems during their lifetime. Much of their acute care is delivered in the emergency department (ED), yet patients often relate poor experiences in this setting. In recognition of the need to improve the care offered to patients with SCD in the ED, the American College of Emergency Physicians in collaboration with multiple public, private and professional partners have created the Emergency Department Sickle Cell Care Coalition (EDSC³). Its purpose is to provide a national forum dedicated to the improvement of the emergency care of patients with SCD in the United States. The EDSC³ primary objective is to promote evidence-based emergency care and optimize communication in the delivery of the emergency care for patients with SCD. The EDSC³ will focus on the following:

• Research: The EDSC³ will support the dissemination of research findings to local, regional and national stakeholders;
• Education: The EDSC³ will support the education of ED staff and patients regarding the appropriate management of SCD-related pain and other complications;
• Advocacy: The EDSC³ will support advocacy efforts directed towards appropriate federal, state and local governments, and professional organizations;
• Community outreach: The EDSC³ will support outreach and educational efforts to patients and families working to develop community partners; and
• Health care performance: The EDSC³ will support the development of appropriate metrics to improve the emergency care of patients with SCD. 

Participating Organizations

• American College of Emergency Physicians*
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Society of Hematology
• American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Emergency Nurses Association
• Health Resources and Services Administration
• The Joint Commission
• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
• Sickle Cell Disease Association of America

*Providing organizational support

Chair Bios

Dr. Caroline Freiermuth

Dr. Caroline Freiermuth is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Cincinnati. She is a founding member of the Emergency Department Sickle Cell Care Coalition and began her term as Chair in May 2022. Dr. Freiermuth has been involved in quality improvement work regarding the emergency department management of sickle cell disease since 2011. She served as co-chair for the development of the point-of-care tool to guide emergency department care for SCD. She has a passion for educating others about sickle cell disease, raising awareness about the significant morbidity and mortality, and advocating for healthcare systems and staff to improve care for this patient population. Dr. Freiermuth is actively involved in sickle cell research with hopes to contribute to the evidence that will support best practices for managing sickle cell disease, allowing for an improved and more consistent experience for patients. 

Dr. David Brousseau

Dr. David Brousseau is the Chair of Pediatrics at Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, and the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Brousseau is a graduate of the University of Virginia medical school. He completed his pediatric residency at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and his fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Masters in Epidemiology at Brown University/Hasbro Children’s Hospital. Prior to joining Nemours Children’s Health as Chair, Dr. Brousseau was the Section Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Medical College of Wisconsin/Children’s Wisconsin.

Dr. Brousseau’s academic focus centers on the care of people with sickle cell disease (SCD). He has had continuous federal funding for almost two decades, including sickle cell randomized clinical trials and hybrid-implementation trials. He is currently the study PI on an NHLBI U01 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial to improve guideline adherence for the care of children presenting to the ED with a painful crisis related to their SCD. Dr. Brousseau is the Chair-elect of the American College of Emergency Physician’s Emergency Department Sickle Cell Care Coalition (EDSC³), whose goal is to improve the care of children with SCD across academic and community emergency departments, both pediatric and general. In addition to his sickle cell work, Dr. Brousseau has been an active member of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) including more than a decade as a member of the steering committee and two terms as Chair of the Feasibility and Budget subcommittee. He has over 110 publications, including first author publications in JAMA and Blood.

Dr. Brousseau also has an established track record of mentorship, including serving as the primary mentor on an NHLBI K23 and serving as the scientific advisor for an NHLBI funded UG3/UH3 for an interventional clinical trial for sickle cell pain.