title: Quality indicators in an epilepsy monitoring unit.
abstract: Examining and improving the quality of care in epilepsy monitoring units (EMUs) is essential to delivering the best possible care and to mitigating undesirable outcomes. Epilepsy monitoring units are unique in that an admission to an EMU often involves the induction of symptoms (seizures) rather than minimizing and/or treating symptoms, which can lead to an increased risk to patient safety. Very little research has addressed the quality of care and safety in EMUs. The objective of this study was to examine quality indicators in a large population of patients admitted to an EMU in a large health region. Data were collected prospectively on 396 consecutive patients admitted to the EMU for scalp EEG recording from 2008 to 2011 using a standardized data abstraction form. Variables examined included the following: patient demographics, baseline clinical characteristics, EMU admission statistics, and EMU quality indicators. We found that an admission to the EMU was a safe and effective tool in the management of patients with epilepsy and seizure-like events. The number of adverse events during the study period was low at 4.9%. The admission question was answered in 78.8% of cases, and it was partially answered in 6.6%. The need for systematically developed and validated quality indicators in EMUs is emphasized. The research in this area is sparse, and thus these data aid in supporting the utility of EMUs in the management and care of those with seizures and seizure-like events.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors.forename: Khara M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Sauro
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Macrodimitris
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Canada.
authors.forename: Christianne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krassman
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wiebe
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors.forename: Neelan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pillay
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Federico
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada. Electronic address: Nathalie.Jette@AlbertaHealthServices.ca.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jetté
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D061214:Patient Safety; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Epilepsy; Epilepsy monitoring unit; Patient safety; Quality improvement; Quality indicators