Urgent referrals for seizure evaluation to a tertiary care neurology center: a pilot study

This study evaluates the outcome of urgent neurologic referrals. This was a retrospective review of all referrals to the Floating Hospital for Children in 1 month. The total number of patients referred to our center was 223. Amongst those, 108 were new patients and 195 were follow-up visits; 30 patients were deemed urgent, yet 6 of them did not present to their visit. Urgent and routinely scheduled patients were compared based on the need for further evaluation or medication initiation following their visit. The frequency of visit outcomes was statistically similar between urgently and nonurgently referred patients. We did observe though, that diagnostic testing and medication were initiated more frequently for the patients urgently referred for seizure compared with those routinely scheduled patients for seizure evaluation. For this reason, we suggest that pediatric neurologists preferentially should hold clinic space open for urgent referrals for patients with new-onset seizure.