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Stratus Is Changing EEG Testing for the Better
Epilepsy is a disease affecting the brain that predisposes the person affected to recurrent unprovoked seizures. The diagnosis is made after two or more unprovoked seizures. Due to a shortage of neurologists and epilepsy monitoring units (EMUs), scheduling an appointment can take weeks, or even months, and may require patients to travel a long distance to receive care. As the leading provider of ambulatory video EEG (VEEG) testing, Stratus is changing how—and where—testing is done. We’re also helping to lower EEG test costs and improve outcomes at a time when the industry needs it the most.
Home testing doesn’t just provide convenience and lower EEG costs. A published, peer-reviewed study demonstrated comparable quality and diagnostic efficacy of tests performed in the home when compared to an inpatient EMU and significantly lowers the cost of an EEG for the payor and patient.3
3 Slater JD, et al. The real-world economic impact of home-based video electroencephalography: the payer perspective. J Med Econ. 2019; 22(10): 1030-1040. Doi: 10.1080/13696998.2019.1636382
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Inpatient EEG Test Cost vs Home EEG Test Cost
In-home video EEG test cost is generally a fraction of the inpatient EEG cost, as low as 1/3rd of the cost for a 72-hour recording. 3
3 Slater JD, et al. The real-world economic impact of home-based video electroencephalography: the payer perspective. J Med Econ. 2019; 22(10): 1030-1040. Doi: 10.1080/13696998.2019.1636382
Epilepsy & Economic Impact
Beyond the direct effects of seizures, people suffering from epilepsy may have a number of challenges, including diminished family and social support, impaired cognition, medical and psychiatric comorbidities, and societal stigma—all leading to a reduced quality of life.
The economic burden of the disease, both on the individual and society as a whole, is substantial, estimated to be more than $28 billion per year .11,12
11Zack MM, Kobau R. National and state estimates of the numbers of adults and children with active epilepsy – United States, 2015. Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017; 66: 821 – 825. Doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6631a1
12Begley CE, Durgin TL. The direct cost of epilepsy in the United States: A systematic review of estimates. Epilepsia. 2015; 56(9): 1376 – 1387. Doi: 10.1111/epi.13084
Moving Technology Forward
The International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology has concluded that “it is now possible with home video EEG telemetry to extend the value of (ambulatory EEG) with addition of video, beyond seizure classification (supported by category 1 and 2 studies) to obtain information about non-epileptic diagnoses.”13
13 Biswas S, Luz R, Brunnhuber F. Home Telemetry vs inpatient telemetry: A comparative study looking at video quality. Clin Neurophysiol Pract. 2016; 1: 38 – 40. doi: 10.1016/j.cnp.2016.05.001
From Volume to Value
The Affordable Care Act and value-based care initiatives focus on shifting health care from volume to value. The use of diagnostic in-home video EEG in appropriate patients supports these efforts. Clinical evidence supports that in home VEEG has similar diagnostic yield to an inpatient study5 at a significantly lower cost. 3 Stratus performs intermittent monitoring of all in-home video EEG tests to help ensure the integrity of study data in a cost-effective way. This helps to reduce the chances and costs of having to repeat a test because of technical issues.
3Slater JD, et al. The real-world economic impact of home-based video electroencephalography: the payer perspective. J Med Econ. 2019; 22(10): 1030-1040. Doi: 10.1080/13696998.2019.1636382
5 Syed TU, LaFrance WC, Loddenkemper T, Benbadis S, Slater JD, El-Atrache R., et al. Outcome of ambulatory video-EEG monitoring in a ~10,000 patient nationwide cohort. Seizure. 2019; 66: 104-111. doi:10.1016/j.seizure.2019.01.018
How Stratus is Leading the Way
When performed as described, in-home video EEG monitoring is both safe and effective as a diagnostic tool, with a utility equivalent to that of inpatient studies5 but having the dual benefits of increased patient comfort and lower EEG cost. 3
At Stratus, we’re leading the way toward better outcomes and lower costs for both patient and payor—and we’re not about to stop now. With our continuing innovations in-home VEEG recording technology and web-based technologist interfaces, the utility and cost-effectiveness of home EEG testing will only improve.
3 Slater JD, et al. The real-world economic impact of home-based video electroencephalography: the payer perspective. J Med Econ. 2019; 22(10): 1030-1040. Doi: 10.1080/13696998.2019.1636382
5 Syed TU, LaFrance WC, Loddenkemper T, Benbadis S, Slater JD, El-Atrache R., et al. Outcome of ambulatory video-EEG monitoring in a ~10,000 patient nationwide cohort. Seizure. 2019; 66: 104-111. doi:10.1016/j.seizure.2019.01.018
The Gold Standard for All
When it comes to both EEG cost and quality of results, video EEG monitoring has been well-established as the gold standard for the diagnosis of both epileptic and non-epileptic seizures.
