(Newswire.net — July 29, 2022) –When faced with a seizure or other neurological event, one of the most crucial steps is to start evaluation and monitoring as soon as possible. Ideally, a patient would be admitted to an emergency department or hospital and have electrodes placed on the scalp in order to record brain activity. Because it is often necessary to begin diagnosis and monitoring a neurological event very soon, direct access to the patient without delay and without going through an appropriate healthcare professional has become a necessity.
Sadly, this is not always feasible due to distance, time, limited resources, or staff, and this can lead to delays in diagnosis that have serious consequences for the patient. Remote EEG interpretation allows for access to patients in other places who are not as close to the doctor as they would be otherwise. It also allows doctors to provide more information regarding the diagnosis and progress of a patient without physically being present.
Modern Healthcare reports that the number of hospitals using remote EEG interpretation services grew to 22 in 2018 from just five in 2016. This growth is attributed to the system’s ability to cut costs and provide fast, high-quality care. Remote EEG interpretation services offer a number of benefits for hospitals, such as cost reduction, increased patient safety, and faster delivery of care as described below.
1. EEG Saves Money by Reducing Overall Costs
Hospitals are beginning to see that remote EEG interpretation services can save them money by reducing the cost of staffing a full-time EEG lab and eliminating the need to transport patients outside the hospital for an assessment or treatment. Shortening the time of stay in intensive care units, especially for patients who are discovered to have nonconvulsive seizures, is projected to save money when EEG is performed. The cost of doing the EEG was more than covered by these savings.
2. EEG Promotes Patient Safety
Remote EEG interpretation services also improve patient safety by providing critical care in a timely manner. This can occur when a patient is brought to the emergency department, and a physician is unsure of the cause of their abnormal EEG activity and needs an immediate expert opinion. Remote providers can provide that expertise at all hours of the day and night, 24/7, which includes holidays.
Many health care providers consider safety the most important when it comes to how they practice medicine. Whether it is a well-known physician who provides treatments or general practitioners, they take great care in keeping their patients safe and healthy. That makes these professionals different from most other healthcare workers; they bring the same level of care to every patient who walks through the door. EEG allows physicians to reach their patient safety goals easily.
3. EEG Reduces Wait Times
Finally, remote EEG interpretation services can reduce wait times for patients as they receive immediate access to neurologists and neurophysiologists who can read their EEGs immediately. EEG is beneficial not just for identifying disorders, but also for providing timely diagnoses that can guide quick therapy. Early illness detection enables therapies that are expected to lower morbidity and death.