New Guidelines for Epilepsy Centers
The National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC) has recently released updated guidelines for epilepsy care, marking the first major revision since 2010. These guidelines aim to elevate comprehensive care for people with severe epilepsy, recognizing that uncontrolled seizures can significantly impact quality of life and socioeconomic well-being.
Here are some key points from the 2023 Guidelines for Specialized Epilepsy Centers:
- Comprehensive Care Beyond Seizure Management: The field has evolved significantly since the last guideline update over a decade ago. The new guidelines emphasize overall well-being beyond seizure control. This includes addressing comorbid conditions like anxiety and depression, enhancing communication between patients and care teams, and tackling health disparities within the epilepsy community.
- 52 Recommendations: The guidelines include 52 recommendations covering a wide range of services that should be part of high-quality epilepsy centers. These services span inpatient evaluation, therapeutic options, and outpatient chronic disease management.
- Multidisciplinary Care Teams: Recognizing the importance of collaboration, the guidelines recommend the involvement of multidisciplinary care teams. These teams coordinate efforts among different specialists to diagnose and treat patients effectively.
- Personalized Care: For the first time, the guidelines recommend that centers should provide more personalized care. This approach considers individual needs, preferences, and overall well-being beyond just managing seizures.
- Resources and Accreditation: NAEC plans to use these guidelines to inform accreditation standards for epilepsy centers. While any changes will be phased in over time, the goal is to ensure that centers have the necessary resources to provide comprehensive care.
You can learn more at the National Association of Epilepsy Centers website.
An Executive Summary of the 2023 Guidelines for Specialized Epilepsy Centers: Report of the National Association of Epilepsy Centers Guideline Panel was published online on February 2, 2024, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The complete NAEC guidelines are published as an eAppendix on the journal’s website.
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