Health equity integrated epilepsy care and research: A narrative review.

Background: With the unanimous approval of the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders by the World Health Organization in May 2022, there are strong imperatives to work towards equitable neurological care.

Aims: Using epilepsy as an entry point to other neurologic conditions, we discuss disparities faced by marginalized groups including racial/ethnic minorities, Americans living in rural communities, and Americans with low socioeconomic status.

Materials And Methods: The National Institute on Minority Health Disparities Research Framework (NIMHD) was used to conduct a narrative review through a health equity lens to create an adapted framework for epilepsy and propose approaches to working towards equitable epilepsy and neurological care.

Disparities in Primary Care Wait Times in Medicaid versus Commercial Insurance.

Background: Timely access to primary care is important, particularly among patients with acute conditions and patients seeking gateways to specialty care. Due to concerns that expanded Medicaid eligibility would compromise access to primary care among new Medicaid beneficiaries, an experimental study was conducted to test the ability to obtain timely appointments. Although access to primary care appointments for simulated Medicaid patients significantly increased, wait times also increased.

Registry-based trials: a potential model for cost savings?

Background/aims: Registry-based trials have emerged as a potentially cost-saving study methodology. Early estimates of cost savings, however, conflated the benefits associated with registry utilisation and those associated with other aspects of pragmatic trial designs, which might not all be as broadly applicable. In this study, we sought to build a practical tool that investigators could use across disciplines to estimate the ranges of potential cost differences associated with implementing registry-based trials versus standard clinical trials.