Patient-to-doc applications in outpatient epilepsy treatment

Abstract

The telemedical treatment of patients with epilepsy is an extension of the classical face to face on-site appointment with treating physicians, which has essentially characterized the outpatient care to date. Under the recently clarified administrative, financial and legal conditions, especially catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the previously slower process in the implementation could be rapidly accelerated. National and international experiences indicate noninferiority of telemedical counseling as compared to on-site appointments. Valid algorithms for the allocation of on-site appointments versus telemedical treatment are still lacking and should be developed in the near future, taking patient characteristics and treatment situations into account.