CLEVELAND — “They come to your room about six times throughout the night — 4 a.m., 2 a.m., 6 a.m. But at home, you don’t have to worry about that. You get sleep,” said Mahagony Hogan.

Hogan is referring to her frequent hospital stays. She has sickle cell disease that often require emergency room visits and overnight stays.

What You Need To Know

  • MetroHealth program allows at-home care for sickle cell patients

  • Patients get two daily visits from a nurse in their own home

  • The first patient to participate in the program said she gets more rest at home 

“About three times a year. Sometimes two if lucky,” she said.

Anemia, extreme pain and infections are common symptoms with sickle cell disease.

“Fever is always a crisis. You have to go immediately,” Hogan said.

Her stays can be up to a week, longer if her condition is severe.

Dr. Parth Suraiya is the medical director of the Hospital-in-the-Home Program at MetroHealth.

“A lot of patients have stigma associated with those prior hospitalizations,” Suraiya said.

MetroHealth has started a program that allows sickle cell patients shorter hospital stays and to be treated at home once their crisis is under control.

Patients receive two one-hour visits a day from a nurse, a daily virtual visit from a doctor and numerous virtual visits from a nurse throughout the day.

“This program enables us to provide this type of care where they feel more comfortable,” Suraiya said.

“When they’re in hospital, they don’t feel as comfortable There’s less complications, getting all the same things they would get in the hospital at home,” he said.  

Hogan is the first to participate in the program. After spending a couple days in the hospital, she was able to go home. 

“A day and half there and then I went home. They drove me home in personal ambulance, just me, myself and I. I saw two nurses twice a day. They were lovely. If I had to do it again, I would choose those same two again,” Hogan said. 

“It puts less stress on your body when you’re at home. You can get better quicker because you’re in the comfort of your own home," Hogan said.

“You get sleep. If you’re like me, you love sleep. Who doesn’t? But when you’re sick, your body needs sleep the most and you get plenty of rest at Hospital-in-the-Home,” Hogan said with a smile.