Health Care Transition Outcomes in Epilepsy: A Sample Transfer Clinic
Abstract number :
2.082
Submission category :
13. Health Services (Delivery of Care, Access to Care, Health Care Models)
Year :
2025
Submission ID :
458
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/7/2025 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Authors :
Presenting Author: Emily Nurre, MD, MPH – University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Amy Lang, PhD – Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Shannon Brothers, PhD – Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center
Amanda Hornbach, MD – Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center
Wolf Wesley, BS – University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Constance Mara, PhD – Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center
Jennifer Olson, DO – Rush Medical College
Susan Fong, MD, PhD – Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Avani Modi, PhD – Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center
Rationale: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with epilepsy often require disease-specific care into adulthood, with variable preparation for transition. There is insufficient data to support the ideal transfer model of care. In the current study, we describe a sample of AYAs with epilepsy receiving adult neurologic care and examine health care utilization for those who did and did not use our Epilepsy Transition Clinic.
Methods: This was a single center retrospective chart review of 89 adult patients, 40 of whom went through our Epilepsy Transition Clinic. The clinic involved a dedicated adult clinic visit, Transition Policy, provider-led transition discussion, transition passport, epilepsy educator/social worker, coordinator, and patient education. Between-group comparisons and regression analyses examined differences by transition clinic group and time point (i.e., pre- versus post-transfer to adult neurologic care) in health care utilization and time to transfer with age at transfer, sex, medical and psychiatric comorbidities, insurance, time since diagnosis, seizure frequency, and history of advanced treatments as covariates.
Results: AYAs who went through our Epilepsy Transition Clinic had statistically significant shorter time to transfer, greater likelihood of Vitamin D checks post-transfer to adult care, and increased overall engagement with medical providers (i.e., greater total number of epilepsy-related phone calls). Further, time to transfer was less for AYAs with a history of advanced treatments (diet, neurosurgery, and neuromodulation).
Conclusions: This study demonstrates epilepsy transition clinics may reduce transfer time, facilitate medical engagement between phases of neurologic care, and increase monitoring for epilepsy-specific comorbidities (e.g. Vitamin D deficiencies), underscoring the positive safety impact within healthcare.
Funding: Clinic materials were supported by the Community Partnership Development Grant through the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training (CCTST) awarded to first author in partnership with senior author and Epilepsy Alliance Ohio. Clinic materials were also supported by an unrestricted grant from the Schiff Family Foundation to the University of Cincinnati Epilepsy Center.
Health Services (Delivery of Care, Access to Care, Health Care Models)