Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurologic condition, affecting 50-60 million people worldwide and 3.4 million Americans nationally. One in ten Americans will have a single seizure in their lifetime, and close to 1 out of every 30 Americans will go on to have epilepsy.

In Orange County alone there are roughly 27,000 people with active epilepsy, with 1,500 new cases of epilepsy in our county a year. Epilepsy can impact all aspects of life, from autonomy and independence with driving and working to quality of life and family planning. From sleep and life expectancy to mood and fertility, epilepsy effects all facets of life and patients should not navigate these challenges alone.

Specialized Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

The Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at Mission Hospital is a specialized inpatient unit designed to evaluate, diagnose, and treat seizures in patients of all ages. This unique unit is the only one of its kind in South Orange County.

Epilepsy, seizures and seizure-like disorders can be challenging to treat, since each person is unique. The best treatment may include medication, stimulation techniques, diets or surgical procedures.

Identifying the most appropriate treatment plan starts with a thorough evaluation and diagnosis. Equipped with computer-based monitoring equipment specifically designed for the evaluation of seizure disorders, Mission’s EMU team can gather data before a seizure starts, while one is occurring and during recovery.

This invaluable information provides answers about the characteristics of the seizures and helps doctors identify the type(s) of seizures and other clues that can shape treatment.

A Multidisciplinary Team for Epilepsy Diagnosis

The EMU brings together specially trained experts in technology and patient care specific to epilepsy. Your EMU team may include Mission Hospital neurologists, neurosurgeons, nurse specialists, EMU technologists, clinical technologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, case managers and social workers to cover all the aspects of life affected by seizures.

Partnership with USC Consortium

In addition, Mission Hospital is part of the University of Southern California (USC) Epilepsy Care Consortium, a unique collaboration of six independent comprehensive epilepsy centers representing academic, community, public, private, adult, pediatric, urban and rural venues. It serves as a “living laboratory” to examine the issues causing disparities in epilepsy care and works to find creative solutions. This allows patients from across the age and socioeconomic spectrum to have access to the combined resources of the all the partner centers to receive the highest level of epilepsy care possible while staying close to home.

A Patient Shares Her Experience

Tune in as Olympic-qualifying marathon runner, Tiffany Costello, shares how her care from Dr. Parshaw Dorriz at Providence Mission Hospital has given her relief from epilepsy.