Epilepsy Behav. 2025 Sep 24;172:110724. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110724. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
The National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC) guidelines for level 3 and 4 epilepsy centers has emphasized the importance of an interdisciplinary team but left specifics to the individual centers. To our knowledge, no guidelines exist that define the ideal state for resourcing comprehensive epilepsy care. Therefore, we surveyed pediatric epilepsy centers to describe the current state and scope of personnel resources across the US. The Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium sent a 52-item survey to directors of 130 NAEC level 3 and 4 pediatric and pediatric/adult centers. The survey queried the number of various professionals, volume of work, distribution of tasks throughout the division, and programmatic offerings. Fourteen questions were specific to behavioral health care, leaving 38 questions specific to our survey. Medians were reported to minimize effects of asymmetric distributions across larger centers and because maximum values were occasionally collected as a range. Data was available from 50 centers (response rate = 38 %). The size of neurology divisions was evenly distributed with 34 % of respondents from small (1-7 neurologists), 34 % from medium (8-15 neurologists), and 32 % from large divisions (16 or more neurologists). Our survey identified several opportunities to shift tasks between personnel (i.e. from MD/DO/APPs to registered nurses (RNs), from RNs to resource specialists) to allow individuals to work to the top of their license, including preparing refills for provider signature, seizure safety education, completion of school forms, and medication prior authorization. Allocation of more resources and using our existing resources more efficiently has the potential to benefit epilepsy patients and families, providers, and pediatric health systems.
PMID:40997374 | DOI:10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110724
