[Survey of the number of electroencephalograms prepared in The Netherlands in 1975-1989; noticeable decrease in spite...

On the basis of data supplied by 89 Dutch neurological/clinical neurophysiological practices it is demonstrated that the number of electroencephalograms (EEGs) prepared in the Netherlands has gradually decreased between 1975 and 1989. In 57 clinics which supplied data on all these years, the decrease was found to amount to about 19%. This significant decrease occurred in spite of a marked increase of the numbers of new patients in the neurological outpatient clinic (about 60%, data from 42 practices) and neurological admissions (about 40%, data from 54 practices). There is no reason to assume that this development has been essentially different in the non-responding practices (n = 59). The findings of this study refute the statement made in an article published in this journal in 1989 that the number of EEGs had increased in spite of the introduction of the CT scanner. This erroneous conclusion, which led to the suggestion of overconsumption, proved to be due in the first place to obviously incorrect figures supplied by the Medical Insurance Board. In addition, the increase of the number of neurological patients had not been taken into account.