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  • Emily Holmes
  • Pete Dixon
    University of Liverpool
  • Amy Mathieson
    University of Liverpool
  • Leone Ridsdale
    King's College London
  • Myfanwy Morgan
    King's College London
  • Alison McKinlay
    King's College London
  • Jon Dickson
    University of Sheffield
  • Steve Goodacre
    University of Sheffield
  • Mike Jackson
    North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
  • Deborah Foster
    North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
  • Kristy Hardman
    North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
  • Steve Bell
    North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
  • Anthony Marson
    University of Liverpool
  • Dyfrig Hughes
  • Adam J. Noble
    University of Liverpool
To identify service users' preferences for an alternative care pathway for adults with epilepsy presenting to the ambulance service. Extensive formative work (qualitative, survey and knowledge exchange) informed the design of a stated preference discrete choice experiment (DCE). This hypothetical survey was hosted online and consisted of 12 binary choices of alternative care pathways described in terms of: the paramedic's access to medical records/ 'care plan', what happens next (described in terms of conveyance), time, availability of epilepsy specialists today, general practitioner (GP) notification and future contact with epilepsy specialists. DCE scenarios were described as: (i) typical seizure at home. (ii) typical seizure in public, (iii) atypical seizure. Respondents were recruited by a regional English ambulance service and by national public adverts. Participants were randomised to complete 2 of the 3 DCEs. People with epilepsy (PWE; n = 427) and friends/family (n = 167) who completed the survey were representative of the target population. PWE preferred paramedics to have access to medical records, non-conveyance, to avoid lengthy episodes of care, availability of epilepsy specialists today, GP notification, and contact with epilepsy specialists within 2-3 weeks. Significant others (close family members or friends) preferred PWE experiencing an atypical seizure to be conveyed to an Urgent Treatment Centre and preferred shorter times. Optimal configuration of services from service users' perspective far out ranked current practice (rank 230/288 possible configurations). Preferences differ to current practice but have minimal variation by seizure type or stakeholder. Further work on feasibility of these pathways in England, and potentially beyond, is required. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.]

Keywords

  • Ambulance, Care pathway, Discrete choice experiment, Epilepsy, Preference, Seizure
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)28-37
Number of pages10
JournalSeizure: European Journal of Epilepsy
Volume118
Early online date10 Apr 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2024

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