Texas Tech Health El Paso and University Medical Center of El Paso just vaulted into the top tier of epilepsy treatment, earning Level 4 epilepsy center certification from the National Association of Epilepsy Centers on Friday. The recognition, the highest accreditation NAEC offers, means patients across the Borderplex can now get the most advanced diagnostic and surgical epilepsy care without leaving the region, a milestone local leaders say will keep complex care closer to home.
The NAEC certification was reported on Friday by KFOX. “With this designation, our epilepsy patients can receive the most advanced medical and surgical care close to home, eliminating the need to travel elsewhere,” Sushma Reddy Yerram, M.D., said. Texas Tech Health El Paso President Richard Lange called the achievement “an extraordinary collaborative effort.”
What Level 4 Means
Level 4 centers offer the most comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services for complex epilepsy, including continuous video EEG monitoring, intracranial monitoring, and advanced surgical and neuromodulation options. That definition and the accreditation criteria come from the National Association of Epilepsy Centers, which sets standards for Level 3 and Level 4 programs. NAEC notes that Level 4 centers also participate in research and multidisciplinary care networks.
Why It Matters For Patients
Local reporting notes that before this certification, many El Paso patients and families had to travel to Albuquerque, Phoenix, Dallas, Austin or San Antonio to reach the highest level of epilepsy care. Bringing Level 4 services into the Borderplex cuts down on long, expensive trips and lets patients stay near their support systems while they undergo intensive diagnostic workups and potential surgery. Coverage by KVIA highlights those access benefits.
Local Program Background and Next Steps
Texas Tech’s neurology department has run an epilepsy clinic in El Paso for decades and works closely with UMC’s inpatient monitoring unit, according to the university’s neurology program page. Texas Tech Health El Paso documents that longstanding partnership. UMC previously announced its Level 3 accreditation as part of an expansion of specialty services, and officials say the new Level 4 certification marks a further buildout of the region’s specialty-care capabilities, according to UMC.
Officials have not yet released a detailed rollout timeline for new surgical programs or possible referral changes, and patients seeking appointments are being directed to contact Texas Tech Health El Paso or UMC neurology for next steps. For background on the accreditation and what it typically covers, see the NAEC accreditation guidance and the institutions’ neurology pages for program contact information.
