Description of the referral centers for patients with epilepsy for the implementation of the TeleECHO project in a national institute of health

Abstract

Background: Epilepsy is a brain disease characterized by a neuronal predisposition to generate epileptic seizures, all patients treated must follow the guidelines of the clinical record and have a reference and counter-reference system.

Objective: To describe the centers and characteristics of patients with epilepsy referred to the Comprehensive Epilepsy Care Center Comprehensive 1 (CAIE 1) of the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery (NINN). Decentralization with new technologies is necessary through projects such as TeleECHO.

Material and methods. An observational, descriptive and transversal study was performed. Medical centers and physicians in charge of patients’ referral from January to December 2017 were included.

Results. Of 4,866 patients referred for care to the NINN, 627 patients had epilepsy, with a mean age of 33.34 ± 15.33 years, 52.8% were women. The main referral was from private doctors, first and third level care centers in the Megalopolis.

Conclusions. The importance of this project is that it seeks to improve the referral-counter-referral system in order to  decentralize the care of patients with epilepsy, looking forward to implement telemedicine in the centers of greatest referral in order to reduce the gap in epilepsy treatment in Mexico.