Abstracts

Telemedicine utilizes a communication technology in delivery of health care when the patient and the physician are separated by space. Since there are very few epileptologists in western Canada, patients have to travel long distances to attend their appointments. This leads to significant traveling costs, lost time from work for the patient and family and considerable inconvenience. We sought to determine if video tele-consultation was a viable option for epilepsy care. Seven out-of-province referrals were booked for teleconsultation. Consultation was sought for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Ages ranged from 22 to 59 years. There were four new patients and three follow-ups. The traveling distances ranged from 790 km to 1497 km with a mean of 1220 km. Consultations were done with video conferencing. Four patients had other family members attend the sessions. Approximate travel and lodging costs were calculated to determine cost savings. A consultation report with recommendations was mailed to the referring physician. There were no major technical difficulties in conducting the consultations with the exception of minor difficulties in one consult from Winnipeg. Neurological examination was limited but provided by the referring neurologists. The average traveling and accommodation cost per patient was $726 (excluding costs for the travel attendant). The patients and families expressed satisfaction with the consultation and had the opportunity and time to inquire about specific issues. On an average an additional 15 minutes of the specialist time was utilized for each patient. Teleconsultation in epilepsy is a viable option where major commute is necessary to attend the epilepsy clinic. It may lead to significant cost savings for the patient and health care region, and serve as a means of health delivery within one[rsquo]s own community. However, it requires some additional time commitment from the treating physician. Further research is needed to compare teleconsultation with conventional clinics in terms of patient satisfaction, doctor satisfaction, quality of health delivery and cost impact. (Supported by Medical Services Delivery Innovative Fund (MSDIF); a joint initiative of Alberta Health and Wellness and the Alberta Medical Association.)