Abstracts

Rationale: A previous assessment of patient views on value in healthcare sought to broadly evaluate the patient viewpoint of value. This follow-up analysis to the earlier survey further defines the patient-centered view of value in healthcare in patients with epilepsy.Methods: This was a prospective survey in which anonymous responses were solicited via social media and collected via Survey Monkey. Participants were asked whether they more closely identified as a patient with epilepsy, caregiver of patient with epilepsy, or healthcare professional and responses were categorized to determine patients. Participants were asked to rank possible topics related to treatment and life goals as most important, second most important and least important or to rate strength of agreement with selected value statements. Participants also were given the opportunity to explain their rankings in freeform text responses. Responses were grouped into categories and analyzed.Results: A total of 228 participants from the epilepsy community responded to the survey. Among the responses from patients with epilepsy, a physician’s ability to listen and answer questions was ranked as most important for patient satisfaction, followed by the availability of well trained physicians, and affordable cost (Figure 1). More time with a physician and state of the art medications/facilities were amongst the least important to patients with epilepsy. Behaviorally, family and financial security were the most important values for patients with epilepsy based on strength of agreement with value statements. In terms of patient life goals, both self-respect and respect from others were highly ranked for patients with epilepsy as were fun and enjoyment and warm relationships; excitement was the least important life goal (Figure 2).Conclusions: The results of this study define several aspects of healthcare that patients with epilepsy perceive as most valuable. Patients value well-trained physicians that listen and answer questions to a greater extent than costs, more quality time with physicians, or the availability of state of the art treatments. These results extend the findings from the initial survey by demonstrating that patients ascribe greater value in healthcare when they perceive their relationship with their physician as an equal partnership, which may be dependent on the current state of their physician’s training. This survey thus expands our understanding of the substantial humanistic and non-financial aspects of care most important to patients with epilepsy. UCB Pharma-sponsored