Patients’ perspectives of epilepsy care by specialists and generalists: qualitative evidence synthesis
2024

Patients’ Perspectives on Epilepsy Care

Sample size: 17 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Cotterill Charlotte L, Booth Andrew, Dickson Jon M, Hind Daniel

Primary Institution: The University of Sheffield

Hypothesis

How do patients view generalist versus specialist models of epilepsy care?

Conclusion

Patient experiences indicate that specialist care can be burdensome and generalist knowledge is often insufficient, highlighting the need for improved communication and integration in epilepsy care.

Supporting Evidence

  • Patients find their experiences of specialist care burdensome due to care fragmentation.
  • Generalists often lack the expertise needed for effective epilepsy management.
  • Improved communication between specialists and generalists is essential for better patient care.

Takeaway

Patients with epilepsy feel that both specialists and generalists have their strengths and weaknesses, and they want better communication between the two to improve their care.

Methodology

A systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis of patient perspectives on epilepsy care.

Potential Biases

Potential bias in patient perspectives due to the subjective nature of qualitative data.

Limitations

The findings reflect patient perceptions rather than objective evidence of care services, and may not fully represent the diversity of patients with different epilepsy types.

Participant Demographics

Adults with epilepsy living in the UK.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3399/BJGPO.2024.0072

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