Health Team

Healthcare is not limited to a patient and his or her doctor. There are many people involved, and success depends on each person's willingness to contribute to the common goal of allowing the person with epilepsy to live with a high quality of life. Along with the doctor and patient, other people are part of the health team:

Nurses
Physician Assistants
Social Workers/Counselors
EEG Technicians
Pharmacists
The Epilepsy Foundation & Support Groups
Neuropsychologists
Psychiatrists
Psychologists
Physical Therapists
Occupational Therapists
Speech-Language Pathologists
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors
Epilepsy Centers

Health Team Roles

Doctors and Patients

Doctors and patients are the foundation of every health team. They are partners who each have their own responsibilities in the health process, and though their responsibilities are not the same, they are still united by one common goal: to enable the person with epilepsy to experience a good quality of life.

Patients should take a proactive role in this relationship. They should be open and honest when meeting with the physician. They should not be afraid to ask questions, or shy away from talking about sensitive subjects such as sexual desire or sexual functions. A patient's role is not to go to an appointment and act passively, letting the doctor do all the talking. A patient should be involved with his or her own treatment, and maintain a high level of communication with the doctor. Patients are also responsible for scheduling follow-up appointments with the physician.

A doctor's role is to examine patients, ask questions about their seizure activity, conceptualize treatment plans, fully explain the nature of the treatment plan to the patient, answer questions and prescribe medications to help control seizures. In midst of those responsibilities, the doctors must meet with patients for follow-up examinations to determine the treatment plans' effectiveness and, if necessary, to make any adjustments.

Nurses

Nurses serve in a variety of capacities. They are intermediaries between doctors and patients: they serve as translators and forward the doctor questions on a patient's behalf. Nurses are typically the first responders in the emergency room.

There are two different types of nurses: nurse clinicians and nurse practitioners. Nurse clinicians are responsible for answering routine questions, reporting lab or test results to patients and explaining how to take a medication, providing information about potential side effects of the medication. Nurse practitioners, on the other hand, have advanced medical educations and are capable of performing more complicated tasks, such as patient examinations, ordering tests and prescribing medication. Neither type of nurse, however, is a replacement for a licensed physician. Nurse practitioners still receive supervision from doctors, who review case histories and devise treatment plans.

Physician Assistants

A physician assistant's role is just as it sounds. Their job is to help the doctor treat patients in a secondary role. Examples of physician assistant tasks include patient examinations, recommending therapy and ordering tests. They are also qualified to ask questions and gather a patient's medical history.

Social Workers/Counselors

A social worker serves as educator, counselor and watchdog. Social workers are responsible for educating patients and patients' family members, performing therapy sessions, identifying community outreach programs and referring patients to advocacy groups. Counselors are an incredibly valuable resource, although those who specialize in epilepsy are rare. Most social workers who specialize in epilepsy care are available through comprehensive epilepsy centers, but even then, not all epilepsy centers employ them. To find out if there is an epilepsy social worker in your area, call your local epilepsy center. If you do not know of an epilepsy center in your area, call your local Epilepsy Foundation affiliate for a list.

EEG Technologists

An EEG (Electroencephalogram) is an hour-long exam that monitors the electrical activity in the brain, and an EEG technologist is responsible for administering this rather involved test. As the test begins the technologist gathers information about the patient, such as last meal, last seizure and current medications. After the technologist has compiled the EEG exam data, which appears as wavelengths, he or she presents it to the patient's doctor for review.

Pharmacists

A pharmacist's primary responsibilities are to distribute prescription drugs and answer medication-related questions, which include topics like side effects and the differences between generic and name-brand drugs. A pharmacist's role on the health team might also extend into that of a patient's point of contact. Because he or she might possess a previously-established relationship with a patient, the patient might feel more comfortable discussing his or her condition with them rather than the doctor. This, however, is only acceptable for drug-related questions. A pharmacist should not replace a doctor.

The Epilepsy Foundation and Support Groups

Everyone needs a friend, especially a person having trouble dealing with a condition like epilepsy. The Epilepsy Foundation has support groups most of which are directed by social workers. Some offices have counselors on staff. Doctors or other health care workers are also involved in some locations. Services can include regular group meetings, referrals for vocational rehabilitation and meeting with community groups and schools to provide information about epilepsy. For more information about local support groups and programs, contact your affiliate office.

Neuropsychologists

Neuropsychologists are responsible for evaluating a patient's cognitive abilities, such as thinking, reasoning, memory, language, perception, motor skills and behavior. They do not prescribe medication, but rather work with patients in therapy sessions. Sometimes they will use electrical stimulation to map out areas of the brain where intellectual functions take place. An example of an intellectual function is the understanding of speech, both written and spoken. Neuropsychologists are also able to define what lasting effects head injuries like head trauma, strokes or tumors might have. This, in effect, gives them a better chance of outlining a successful treatment plan.

Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists are basically professional listeners who are responsible for a patient's mental health and who use counseling and psychotherapy to prescribe appropriate medications. Depression is arguably the most common reason the general public visits psychiatrists, and depression is also a condition widely affecting people with epilepsy. According to recent studies, people with epilepsy are more likely to suffer from depression than those who are either considered healthy or suffer from asthma. A psychiatrist's role in the health team is to help a patient overcome feelings like depression.

There are multiple reasons why a person with epilepsy can benefit from seeing a psychiatrist, but one of the most important benefits relates to epilepsy medication and its neurological effects on the brain. A psychiatrist is capable of identifying whether a patient's antiepileptic drug dosage is too high. If the psychiatrist deduces that a person's mental health is suffering and he or she might potentially benefit from taking a lower dose of antiepileptic medication, the psychiatrist is qualified to make that recommendation.

Psychologists

Psychologists, like neuropsychologists, do not prescribe medication. Psychologists help patients cope with their disability's social stigma, as well as help them learn to treat it as a common neurological disorder via therapy sessions. They are much like a social worker because they also educate the patient and the patient's family on how to live a positive life despite epilepsy.

Physical Therapists

Few people with epilepsy require physical therapy, but for those who do, physical therapists are experts on movement and coordination disorders. Their treatment repertoire includes stretching, exercising and skill development.

Occupational Therapists

Similar to physical therapists, occupational therapists focus on a patient's motor skills. However, an occupational therapist centers on the ability of such actions as writing, buttoning clothes or picking up small objects.

Speech-Language Pathologists

A speech-language pathologist helps a patient regain control of his or her speech, language and/or swallowing capabilities by identifying the nature of the patient's problem and implementing therapy. Sometimes the disorder happens because of motor control issues that can stem from brain or spinal cord abnormalities, damage to other nerves or injury to mouth and throat muscles. After identifying the problem, the pathologist tailors a specialized therapy program that addresses the patient's individual needs.

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors

Vocational rehabilitation counselors are valuable resources for people with disabilities who lack the necessary skills to obtain employment. They teach the patient how to overcome the disabling condition and lend assistance in every detail from resume preparation to interviewing skills. The counselors are trained to identify a patient's strengths and weaknesses, determine his or her knowledge-level and then extract interests and aptitudes - all of which factor into formulating a patient's ideal career path. Once the individual's aptitude is determined, the counselor and client meet to outline worthwhile pursuits. In addition to resume writing and interview skills, the counselor also instructs the individual on proper work habits and suggests how to train for specific job functions. For example, if the person's typing skills are lacking, the counselor will suggest taking a typing class.

Epilepsy Centers

Epilepsy centers are good places to become educated about the condition, meet other people with epilepsy, receive medical advice and request referrals to specialists. They are also the only places that can perform epilepsy surgeries and implant devices like the Vagus Nerve Stimulator - both of which procedures are treatments for either controlling or eliminating seizures. Most of the physicians on staff at these centers are epileptologists, but there are also others available who can lend expert advice in areas of everyday life. For example, family planning is a service offered by most centers.

Some epilepsy centers specialize in children with epilepsy, others specialize in adults only, and still others include both age groups. Not all centers perform medical procedures. Some might only offer consultations with epilepsy specialists and perform diagnostic studies. But for those centers that do perform operations, the types of surgeries may also vary. For a list of epilepsy centers in your area, call the Epilepsy Foundation at (800) 332-1000.