Valley Medical Center’s Neuroscience Institute has yet again received the highest-level national accreditation as an epilepsy center from the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. After learning of the NAEC Level 4 epilepsy center accreditation, David Vossler, MD, Medical Director of Valley’s Epilepsy Center and Neurophysiology Labs, had this to say, “This is the 15th time Valley has achieved this elite status and I remain so proud of our neuroscience team and the decades of lifechanging care we continue to provide to adults and children in our community. An extra kudos to our collaborative team for maintaining the highest standards of care during the pandemic—it makes this accomplishment even more meaningful.”
Valley’s level 4 epilepsy center at the Neuroscience Institute is one of only four in the five-state region of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho: Harborview, Seattle Children’s, and Swedish Medical Centers join us in providing level 4 care.
At Valley’s Epilepsy Center we use not only medications, but neurostimulators or surgery to treat seizures. We also offer a wide range of clinical research trials.
What’s an epilepsy center? Epilepsy centers bring together a team of neurology specialists, providing a collaborative approach to the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. A level 4 epilepsy center distinguishes itself through providing the highest level of care using more complex forms of intensive neurodiagnostic monitoring, as well as more extensive medical, neuropsychological, and psychosocial treatment. Level 4 centers also offer a complete evaluation for epilepsy surgery, including intracranial electrodes and a broad range of surgical procedures for epilepsy.
When should patients be referred to a level 3 or 4 epilepsy center?
If seizures have not been brought under control after three months of care by a primary care provider (family physician, pediatrician), further neurologic intervention by a neurologist, or an epilepsy center, is appropriate. If a patient is seeing a general neurologist and seizures have not been brought under control after 12 months, the patient should request a referral to a specialized epilepsy center.
