Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center Implements Advanced Epilepsy Program for Patients with Seizures

Hospital is the first in Palm Beach County to offer dedicated Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (December 8, 2015) – Using advanced technology and the expertise of highly trained specialists, the new Epilepsy Program at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center is designed to help patients suffering from seizures and epilepsy regain control of their lives.

In addition to offering diagnostics and electroencephalograms (EEGs), the program is the first of its kind in Palm Beach County to have a dedicated Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) for patients in need of further assessment. The unit employs skilled technologists and a core nursing staff committed to providing the best possible inpatient monitoring experience.

The EMU is equipped with Long-Term Video Monitoring (LTVM), a specialized form of an EEG in which the patient is continuously monitored on video while brainwave activity is recorded. It allows physicians to:

• Identify the onset triggers for seizures
• Differentiate epileptic events from psychogenic seizures
• Establish the specific type of epilepsy

The video captured with this testing can be used to detect epileptic activity not detectable in routine EEGs. It can be critical for the diagnosis of epilepsy by correlating the time of the physical manifestation of the seizure with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

“Through our special monitoring capabilities, the northern Palm Beach County community has close-to-home access to some of the best experts and techniques for determining the cause of seizures,” said Jeffrey M. Welch, CEO of Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center. “Our multidisciplinary approach helps ensure that patients receive the highest quality of care.”

Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center is a member of The Advanced Neuroscience Network (ANN), an integrated delivery system of medical professionals and hospitals focused on offering a full continuum of neurological care throughout South Florida. Through this membership, Palm Beach Gardens is able to expand its neuroscience offerings to the community.  For more information about ANN’s services, please visit www.advancedneuronetwork.com. 

If you or a loved one is experiencing epilepsy symptoms, you should see a neurologist and request a referral to Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center for further evaluation. For a complimentary physician referral, call 561-625-5070. To learn more about the hospital’s Epilepsy Program, visit www.pbgmc.com/our-services/neurosciences/epilepsy-program.