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Pediatric Teleneurology: A Model of Epilepsy Care for Rural Populations
Sarah E Velasquez1, Enrique Chaves-Carballo2, Eve-Lynn Nelson1
1KU Center for Telemedicine and Telehealth, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas.
Insights
Telemedicine can bridge the gap in pediatric neurology care for rural families facing epilepsy. This approach ensures high-quality neurological services are accessible, regardless of location or transportation barriers.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Telehealth
- Rural Health
Background:
- Epilepsy affects 2.7 million Americans, being the fourth most common neurological disorder.
- Rural areas often lack pediatric neurologists, creating access challenges for families.
- Teleconferencing offers a solution to deliver pediatric neurology services to underserved rural populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline a protocol for developing and implementing teleneurology services in rural communities.
- To ensure high-quality pediatric neurological care is maintained through telemedicine.
- To provide guidance on essential components for successful teleneurology program implementation.
Main Methods:
- Leveraging 25 years of telemedicine experience from the University of Kansas Center for Telemedicine and Telehealth.
- Developing a protocol based on established telemedicine models.
- Addressing key areas: needs assessment, technology, privacy, support, credentialing, and sustainability.
Main Results:
- A comprehensive protocol for teleneurology development is presented.
- Examples of necessary staffing and implementation measures are provided.
- An illustration of an existing teleneurology clinic at the University of Kansas is included.
Conclusions:
- Telemedicine, specifically teleneurology, is a viable method to extend pediatric neurological care to rural areas.
- The proposed protocol facilitates the establishment of sustainable, high-quality teleneurology services.
- This approach addresses disparities in access to specialized neurological care for children in remote locations.
Background:
Approximately 2.7 million individuals in the United States are affected by epilepsy. It is the fourth most common neurological disorder and affects people of all ages, races, and economic backgrounds. In many rural states, the few pediatric neurologists commonly practice in the metropolitan areas. The inadequate resources present challenges for families residing in rural areas or with limited transportation resources. One remedy for this situation is to deliver pediatric neurology services to rural areas through videoconferencing.
Methods:
The University of Kansas Center for Telemedicine and Telehealth has been providing telemedicine consultations in various clinical specialties for 25 years, including mental health and teleneurology. On the basis of the telemedicine models provided at the University of Kansas Center for Telemedicine and Telehealth and other programs, we explain how to provide teleneurology services to rural communities while maintaining high quality care, including direction for assessing need, technology, privacy, administrative and clinical support, credentialing and legality, and sustainability.
Conclusions:
We provide a protocol for teleneurology development, outlining examples of needed staff, and measures to ensure a smooth implementation and execution, ending with an example of the current teleneurology clinic provided at the University of Kansas Center for Telemedicine and Telehealth.
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