Epilepsy Centers of Excellence (ECoE)

MISSION:
To improve the health and well being of Veteran patients with epilepsy and other seizure disorders through the integration of clinical care, research and education.

INTRODUCTION:
In 2008 under Public Law S. 2162, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) set upon its mission to revolutionize services for the veterans afflicted by epilepsy and other seizure disorders. The VA founded the Epilepsy Centers of Excellence (ECoE), establishing 16 sites that are linked to form 4 regional centers. The ECoE seek to provide the best possible epilepsy care to veterans throughout the United States with state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic services. Our goal is to deliver the highest quality of ongoing medical care to veterans suffering from epilepsy. We also seek to promote outreach and educational efforts for both patients and their physicians in order to further the understanding of this chronic condition.

The ECoE offers a range of services in both the outpatient and inpatient realms. The ECoE provides outpatient epilepsy clinics with a staff of neurology specialists. From these clinics, patients can be directed to the most advanced testing methods for the evaluation of epilepsy, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and video monitoring. For those patients that require more intensive testing or attention, the ECoE also provide inpatient units for examining certain seizure types more closely or changing medications in a monitored setting. The epilepsy centers are also linked with the Polytrauma Centers to increase ability to mutually follow veterans with moderate and severe traumatic brain injury who are at the greatest risk for post-traumatic epilepsy. The sites are developing protocols to identify veterans with epilepsy and to develop referral networks to enable veterans to obtain specialized treatment such as epilepsy surgery and advanced electro-diagnosis within the veteran healthcare system

If you are a veteran with seizures and are interested in visiting our Epilepsy Center, please communicate with your local VA primary care physician. This doctor will be able to determine if you might benefit from visiting us, and can help set up a visit.

NATIONAL ECoE GOALS:
Establishing a national system of care to all veterans with Epilepsy, to function as a center of excellence in research, education, and clinical care activities in the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. Developing jointly a national consortium of providers with interest in treating epilepsy at Department health care facilities lacking an epilepsy center of excellence in order to ensure better access to state-of-the-art diagnosis, research, clinical care, and education for traumatic brain injury and epilepsy throughout the health care system of the Department.

To perform epilepsy research, education, and clinical care activities in collaboration with Department medical facilities that have centers for research, education, and clinical care activities on complex multi-trauma associated with combat injuries established under section 7327 of title S2162.

To ensure an affiliation with an accredited medical school that provides education and training in neurology, including an arrangement with such school under which medical residents receive education and training in the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy (including neurosurgery).

Utilizing national VA and other databases in order to inform providers and policy makers in Central Office about health care delivery and health policy decisions, conducting state-of-the-art research about Epilepsy, and implementing an informatics backbone to meet the above objectives.

Providing health professional education and training in order to deliver the highest quality of standard of care to veterans with Epilepsy. To provide an educational opportunity for nursing staff, medical students, house staff, fellows, referring physicians, and patients.