Focus On with Dr. Sadek: Using Technology to Enhance and Optimize Epilepsy Care
Using Technology to Enhance and Optimize Epilepsy Care
People with epilepsy often struggle with many aspects of their disease, including barriers and access to care. With recent changes in technology, there are some new tools that can help optimize access to care.
Many people with epilepsy are under driving restrictions and may have other aspects of their health that affect their mobility. Some patients have a significant disability that can make it challenging for them to leave the home. Telemedicine is a great tool for patients with epilepsy to access care from the comfort of their own homes. Telemedicine epilepsy consultations can be provided remotely from the comfort of home and are offered to both new and existing patients. This can also allow patients to access providers that may not be within immediate driving distance. This is also a great accom- modation that can help decrease the amount of time taken off from work or school. Telemedicine visits can also serve as second opinion evaluations for patients with epilepsy who are still struggling to meet their treatment goals or as a convenient resource for those patients who need fast and easy access to their providers in between regularly scheduled check-ups.
Additionally, advances in the technology used in EEG centers can help aid in making an accurate diagnosis and guiding personalized treatment. An epilepsy monitoring unit, “EMU,” provides simultaneous video and EEG recording for patients with confirmed or suspected epilepsy. This test can be critically important to ensure an accurate diagnosis and also gain more detailed in-
formation about a person’s seizures.
This evaluation can also be utilized to consider other types of treatments, such as surgery or neuromodulation, for those patients who have been unable to obtain full control of their seizures. While traditionally offered in a hospital setting, some offices may provide these services outpatient in a more comfortable and homelike setting.
Dr. Ahmed Sadek | Orlando Epilepsy Center, Inc.
