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EEG requests in paediatrics: an audit
P Nicolaides1, R E Appleton, M Beirne
1Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust, Alder Hey.
Insights
An audit revealed that many electroencephalography (EEG) requests lacked sufficient clinical information, with 40% deemed unnecessary. This highlights a need for improved EEG utilization and clinician education on its diagnostic capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Electroencephalography (EEG) is a crucial diagnostic tool in neurology.
- Guidelines for EEG utilization are essential for appropriate patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To audit the quality and appropriateness of electroencephalography (EEG) requests.
- To assess the impact of new guidelines on EEG request patterns.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective audit of 165 EEG requests was conducted.
- Requests were analyzed before and after the implementation of new guidelines.
Main Results:
- Inadequate clinical information was a consistent issue in EEG requests.
- 40% of EEG requests were identified as unnecessary.
- Approximately 50% of clinicians believed EEG could diagnose epilepsy, indicating potential over-reliance or misunderstanding.
Conclusions:
- The introduction of guidelines did not significantly improve the quality of clinical information in EEG requests.
- There is a need for enhanced clinician education regarding appropriate EEG indications and diagnostic limitations, particularly concerning epilepsy diagnosis.
Abstract:
An audit of 165 requests for electroencephalography (EEG) was undertaken before and after the introduction of guidelines and recommendations, 12 months apart. Inadequate clinical information was provided in requests in both surveys; 40% of requests were considered to be unnecessary, and approximately 50% of clinicians felt that EEG could diagnose epilepsy.