Capitol News

For the past century, healthcare practitioners have utilized electroencephalograms (EEGs) primarily for their clinical ability to visualize brain activity and diagnose seizures in epilepsy patients. However, recent research from Michigan State University (MSU) indicates that patients value EEGs beyond their diagnostic utility.

Megh Marathe, an assistant professor at MSU's colleges of Communication Arts and Sciences and Human Medicine, highlights that patients derive therapeutic benefits from EEGs separate from their intended diagnostic purpose. "Given the uncertainty, trauma, and stigma of seizures, patients value having medical experts witness and care for seizures in a comfortable environment that offers opportunities for connection," said Marathe. This experience reportedly helps patients reorient to life with epilepsy.

During an EEG procedure, electrodes are attached to a patient's scalp to monitor brain activity for seizures. These tests can range from 45 minutes to several days; Marathe’s research focused on extended EEGs lasting 24 hours or more.

Marathe's study involved interviews with 25 epilepsy patients who expressed feeling seen and valued during extended EEGs for several reasons:

1. **Sense of Agency**: Extended EEGs provide underserved patients with access to material and social comforts usually inaccessible to them. This sense of agency is particularly significant for women, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals. "EEG monitoring provides women with free time... even when deprived of sleep and anti-seizure medication," noted Marathe.

2. **Continuous Medical Attention**: Patients found comfort in the constant presence of technicians and neurologists during the high-anxiety period of EEG monitoring aimed at inducing seizures for diagnosis. "Patients found the presence of the technicians and neurologists comforting," said Marathe.

3. **Acknowledgment of Patient Experiences**: Unlike generalist settings where seizure symptoms might be dismissed, EEG practitioners are trained to recognize diverse seizure symptoms. "Extended EEGs helped patients prove they are physically ill by displaying the neurological basis of seizures," explained Marathe.

4. **Educational Opportunities**: Extended EEGs allow both patients and caregivers to learn about managing epilepsy under expert supervision. This is crucial for newly diagnosed individuals or those whose conditions do not respond well to treatment.

5. **Contribution to Research**: Participating in research studies during extended EEGs empowers patients by contributing valuable data about their condition.

Marathe emphasizes that educating medical trainees about these therapeutic benefits is vital. Additionally, hospital administrators should consider incorporating patient-valued resources into extended interventions' reporting practices.

"By providing a controlled environment for patients to seize under expert care, EEGs could be seen as doing the work of therapy," stated Marathe.

In conclusion, considering patient perspectives alongside clinical utility is essential in discussions about automation in healthcare settings.