Abstracts

Rationale: Telemedicine is an increasingly viable supplement to traditional health care delivery, enabling providers to connect with patients and consultants across distances in a cost-effective, convenient manner (Reider-Demer, 2017). Telemedicine in various forms—from store-and-forward technology to real-time videoconferencing—has demonstrated good outcomes in specialties including neurosurgery, general neurology, stroke, and epilepsy. Systems such as the Veterans Health Administration have tested workflows using allied health professionals to conduct telemedicine follow-up care to maximize resource efficiency, continuity of care, and patient access (Dadlani, R. 2014). Epilepsy surgery workup requires complex number of tests and procedures that patients typically do not understand. Telemedicine allow providers to share computer screens and show diagnostic evaluations to better ensure patients and families understand their epilepsy surgery work up and follow up  plan of care.  Methods: This study took place at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center among established neurology patients who are willing to test the use of telemedicine versus in-person clinic visits throughout their epilepsy surgery work up  This is a prospective feasibility study exploring  the use of telemedicine in patients during their pre epilepsy surgery evaluation including discussion of the epilepsy surgery consensus conference.  Results: All patients indicated that they wanted to participate in the patient satisfaction survey. and either agreed or strongly agreed that they felt confident when meeting with the provider. Ninety percent (90%) of participants agreed or strongly agreed that the technical process of joining the on-line session was easy. All patients agreed or strongly agreed that they were overall satisfied with their telemedicine session and would choose telemedicine over face-to-face visits in the future. Based on follow up satisfaction surveys obtained patients it appears patients better understand who their contact is among the epilepsy team, and could more adequately could reiterate their follow plan of care.   Conclusions: Telemedicine is an increasingly viable supplement to traditional health care delivery, enabling providers to connect with patients and consultants across distances in a cost-effective, convenient manner (Reider-Demer, 2017). Offering telemedicine as an option to epilepsy patients is not only effective but demonstrates patient and provider satisfaction and acceptance for continuing use in future care.  Funding: Small donation received from private donor that covered cost and iPads used throughout study,