Feasibility of Telemedicine for Follow up of Children with Established Seizure Disorder- A Tertiary Care Center Prospective Study

Abstract

Introduction: Medical information exchanged via electronic communications to improve a patient’s clinical health status by a physician without in-patient visit is telemedicine. Control of seizures with antiepileptic drugs, reassurance for compliance to drugs, regular monitoring of adverse effects of drugs in patient with established seizure can be possible through telemedicine. The main objective of this study was to evaluate feasibility of telemedicine for follow up of children with established seizure disorder. Methods: This study was conducted among children of age one to 16 years with an established seizure due to any cause presenting to the Paediatric Neurodevelopmental OPD of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2020. Mobile phone as a modality of telemedicine was used to inquire about seizure every month for 12 months and whenever necessary. Results: When parameters as seizure control, total cost and time spent per hospital visit, distance to TUTH were analyzed, more than 75% caregivers were satisfied with telemedicine. Greater age, appropriate development, focal onset of seizure, normal electroencephalogram and seizure adequately controlled by single antiepileptic drug were the favorable factors in better seizure control in children using telemedicine. Conclusions: Telemedicine for follow up of children with established seizure disorder seems to be a feasible and satisfactory option when implemented with caution and proper patient selection as it decreases unnecessary high expenses and time to hospital visit