title: National French survey on tele-transmission of EEG recordings: More than a simple technological challenge.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Assessment of current practice and the need for tele-transmission and remote interpretation of EEG in France. Transmission of EEG to a distant center could be a promising solution to the problem of decreasing availability of neurophysiologists for EEG interpretation, in order to provide equity within health care services in France. This practice should logically follow the legal framework of telemedicine and the recommendations that were recently edited by the Société de neurophysiologie clinique de langue française (SNCLF) and the Ligue française contre l'épilepsie (LCFE).
  
  
  METHODS
  A national survey was designed and performed under the auspices of the SNCLF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This survey reveals that there is an important gap between the official recommendations and the "reality on the ground". These local organizations were mainly established through the impulse of individual initiatives, rarely driven by health regulatory authorities and sometimes far from legal frameworks. For the majority, they result from a need to improve medical care, especially in pediatrics and neonatology, and to ensure continuity of care. When present, tele-transmission of EEG is often only partially satisfactory, since many technical procedures have to be improved. Conversely, the lack of tele-transmission of EEG would penalize medical care for some patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The survey shows both the wealth of local initiatives and the fragility of most existing networks, emphasizing the need for better cooperation between regulatory authorities and health care professionals to establish or improve the transmission of EEG in France.
authors.affiliation: Service des explorations fonctionnelles, CHU de Rennes, 2, rue Henri-le-Guilloux, 35033 Rennes cedex 9, France; EA 4712 « Comportement et noyaux gris centraux », faculté de médecine, université de Rennes 1, avenue Léon-Bernard, 35043 Rennes, France. Electronic address: paul.sauleau@univ-rennes1.fr.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sauleau
authors.affiliation: École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris, 60, boulevard Saint-Michel, 75006 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Despatin
authors.affiliation: Institut des sciences et industries du vivant et de l'environnement (AgroParisTech), 16, rue Claude-Bernard, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Xufei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Service de neurophysiologie clinique, CHU de Dijon, 1, boulevard Jeanne-d'Arc, BP 77908, 21079 Dijon cedex, France.
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lemesle
authors.affiliation: Unité de neurophysiologie clinique de l'enfant, hôpital Arnaud-de-Villeneuve, 34295 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Touzery-de Villepin
authors.affiliation: Unité de neurologie pédiatrique, CHU d'Angers, 4, rue Larrey, 49100 Angers, France; LARIS EA 7315, Lunam, université d'Angers, 4, boulevard Lavoisier, 49016 Angers, France.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: N'Guyen The Tich
authors.affiliation: Service de physiologie clinique-explorations fonctionnelles, hôpital Lariboisière, université Paris Didérot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, AP-HP, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75010 Paris, France; Unité Inserm 965/Paris 7, CART, hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75475 Paris cedex 10, France.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kubis
mesh_terms: D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005602:France; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration
keywords: Electroencephalogram; Enquête; Medical and technical networks; Réseaux médico-techniques; Survey; Tele-EEG; Telemedicine; Télémédecine; Télétransmission; Électroencéphalogramme