title: Quality measures in neurology consult care for epileptic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epilepsy is one of the most frequently observed diseases in neurology outpatient care.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Sección Neurología, Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina, Comunidad de Madrid, España. Electronic address: masuncion.morena@salud.madrid.org.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de la Morena Vicente
authors.affiliation: Sección Neurología, Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina, Comunidad de Madrid, España.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ballesteros Plaza
authors.affiliation: Sección Neurología, Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina, Comunidad de Madrid, España.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Martín García
authors.affiliation: Sección Neurología, Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina, Comunidad de Madrid, España.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vidal Díaz
authors.affiliation: Sección Neurología, Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina, Comunidad de Madrid, España.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Anaya Caravaca
authors.affiliation: Sección Neurología, Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina, Comunidad de Madrid, España.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Pérez Martínez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009462:Neurology / Q000592:standards*; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants
keywords: American Academy of Neurology epilepsy quality measures; Consejos en epilepsia; Counselling in epilepsy; Cuidados en epilepsia; Epilepsia; Epilepsy; Epilepsy care; Gestación; Medidas calidad en epilepsia de la Academia Americana de Neurología; Pregnancy; Safety; Seguridad