Abstracts

Rationale: The International Emergency Epilepsy Card (IEEC) was introduced in the Federal Republic of Germany in 1997. Awareness of the IEEC, its utilization, impact and acceptance were evaluated by means of three patient studies in 1999, 2003 and 2008. The Card is used by approx. 90,000 patients in German-speaking countries. Methods: Repeat survey among 1,800 persons who had ordered the card in writing. The respondents were sent a two-page questionnaire in March 2008. This third survey addressed 1,800 individuals, who had previously ordered the card in writing. A total of 384 questionnaires were returned, of which 373 could be evaluated for the purposes of this survey. Results: The results show that the Emergency Cards generally used are not commonly known. General use and an impact thereof could not be demonstrated in any of the studies. The problem of the Card not being found by the rescue staff in the event of emergency is very often mentioned by the patient. One important result of this survey is that patients feel more secure - 83% (2008), 89% in 2003 and 82% in 1999 - when going out of the house with the card. A total of 73% of all responding holders of an Emergency Card (IEEC) had completed the card correctly in accordance with the instructions contained in the information sheet sent out with the card. The everyday economic advantage of the IEEC is that it reduces the frequency of certain examinations during and after the emergency, owing to the precise indication of the necessary action in the Card by the attending physician. The IEEC is currently distributed in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. This survey examined whether the card is actually used by the people who order it. 53% and 55% (2003) of the respondents stated that they carry their Epilepsy Emergency Card (IEEC) with them at all times. Conclusions: The results of the survey confirm that the IEEC has proven its worth in 84% of cases. Rescue personnel has to be more extensively informed about the existence of the card, and widespread acceptance of the card by all concerned is one of the prerequisites for the optimisation of emergency care. There are plans to have the Card translated into other languages. The numbers printed are increasing steadily. The Card is issued to patients by self-help groups and doctors.