A Case Series Using a Care Management Checklist to Decrease Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations in Children With Epilepsy. (February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Patel, Anup D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of child neurology. Volume 29:Number 2(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: 243
• Page End: 246
• Publication Date: 2014-02
• Subjects: epilepsy -- care management -- costs; Nervous system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 618.928
• DOI: 10.1177/0883073813500851
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0883-0738

Abstract

Each year, 1 million people are seen in an emergency department for seizures or epilepsy. We implemented a care management checklist for patients with frequent visits. A database was searched for patients with the highest number of emergency department visits and/or unplanned hospitalizations in 2011. Four patients were selected. A care management checklist was implemented in 2012. Compliance with the office visits, number of emergency department visits and/or hospitalizations, and the associated costs were tracked following implementation of the checklist for 2011 and 2012. These 4 epilepsy patients accounted for 46 visits in the year 2011 with associated health care costs of $380, 209. Following a year using a care management checklist, the same patients accounted for 11 visits with a cost reduction of $188, 130. Using a care management checklist was useful in these 4 epilepsy patients to decrease emergency department visits and/or unplanned hospitalizations. A limitation of this study is its small numbers.