[How to convince the head of department and managing director of the importance of specialised headache clinics].
In spite that headache is, by far, the most frequent reason for neurological consultation and that the diagnosis and treatment of some patients with headache is difficult, the number of headache clinics is scarce in our country. In this paper the main arguments which should allow us, as neurologists, to defend the necessity of implementing headache clinics are reviewed. To get this aim we should first overcome our internal reluctances, which still make headache as scarcely appreciated within our specialty. The facts that more than a quarter of consultations to our Neurology Services are due to headache, that there are more than 200 different headaches, some of them actually invalidating, and the new therapeutic options for chronic patients, such as OnabotulinumtoxinA or neuromodulation techniques, oblige us to introduce specialised headache attendance in our current neurological offer. Even though there are no definite data, available results indicate that headache clinics are efficient in patients with chronic headaches, not only in terms of health benefit but also from an economical point of view.
N
N
Riesco
C
C
Garcia-Cabo
J
J
Martinez-Ramos
Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, 33006 Oviedo, Espana.
J
J
Pascual
D065087:Acetylcholine Release Inhibitors / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000700:Analgesics / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017046:Cost Savings; D004363:Drug Utilization; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000191:economics; D006261:Headache / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006740:Hospital Administrators / Q000523:psychology; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000458:organization & administration; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000191:economics; D009462:Neurology / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000600:supply & distribution; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D035703:Therapies, Investigational / Q000191:economics
D065087:Acetylcholine Release Inhibitors; D000700:Analgesics; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A