Quality measures in neurology consult care for epileptic patients

• Published in: Neurologia (Barcelona, Spain) Vol. 29; no. 5; p. 267
• Main Authors: de la Morena Vicente, M A, Ballesteros Plaza, L, Martín García, H, Vidal Díaz, B, Anaya Caravaca, B, Pérez Martínez, D A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: Spain 01-06-2014
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anticonvulsants - therapeutic use; Epilepsy - diagnosis; Epilepsy - therapy; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neurology - standards; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital - standards; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - prevention & control; Quality of Health Care; Retrospective Studies; American Academy of Neurology epilepsy quality measures; Counselling in epilepsy; Medidas calidad en epilepsia de la Academia Americana de Neurología; Pregnancy; Epilepsia; Cuidados en epilepsia; Epilepsy; Gestación; Seguridad; Safety; Consejos en epilepsia; Epilepsy care
• ISSN: 1578-1968
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nrl.2013.06.011

Epilepsy is one of the most frequently observed diseases in neurology outpatient care.
We analysed our hospital's implementation of the 8 epilepsy quality measures proposed by the American Academy of Neurology: documented seizure types and seizure frequency, aetiology of epilepsy or the epilepsy syndrome, review of EEG, MRI, or CT results, counselling about antiepileptic drug side effects, surgical therapy referral for intractable epilepsy, and counselling about epilepsy-specific safety issues and for women of childbearing age.
In most cases, the first four quality measures were documented correctly. In 66% of the cases, doctors had asked about any adverse drug effects during every visit. Almost all patients with intractable epilepsy had been informed about surgical options or referred to a surgical centre of reference for an evaluation at some point, although referrals usually took place more than 3 years after the initial proposal. Safety issues had been explained to 37% of the patients and less than half of women of childbearing age with epilepsy had received counselling regarding contraception and pregnancy at least once a year.
The care we provide is appropriate according to many of the quality measures, but we must deliver more counselling and information necessary for the care of epileptic patients in different stages of life.