New Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at Carondelet Health Network offer additional treatment options for seizure disorders

Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital to address growing demand for epilepsy and neurological services

TUCSON – The community need for epilepsy and neurology services continues to grow throughout the southern Arizona region. To meet this need and better serve the healthcare needs of the area, Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital has introduced a dedicated unit for epilepsy monitoring.

Media is invited to witness hospital leadership, staff, and the Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce host an event to celebrate the opening of St. Joseph’s Epilepsy Monitoring Unit.

Event Details:
St. Joseph’s Hospital | Chapel Courtyard
Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.
350 N. Wilmot Road, Tucson, AZ 85711

The new Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) consists of two dedicated private rooms that will provide specialized care and monitoring for epilepsy patients to determine the type and frequency of seizures, and the site of onset. The state-of-the-art EMU will be equipped with Video-EEG monitoring equipment to provide the health network’s epileptology and neurology doctors with 24 hour continuous observation. Video-EEG monitoring is critical to determine if surgery could be an effective treatment for those whose seizures are not controlled with medications.

“Identifying the most appropriate treatment plan for you or your family member starts with a thorough evaluation and diagnosis. With this added technology, we will not only be able to evaluate seizure disorders, but also create individualized and comprehensive treatment plans to reduce and provide answers about the seizure activity patients’ experience,” said Dr. Kendra Drake, medical director for the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit.

The population with the largest growth in epilepsy is for people 65 or older, due to the aging of the U.S. population and increases in life expectancy. As the population suffering from epilepsy or other neurological conditions continues to grow, Carondelet Health Network will continue to advance care and technology in the neuroscience specialty.

“Establishing an Epilepsy Monitoring Unit within St. Joseph’s Hospital further specializes and enhances the care we are able to provide our patients,” said Monica Vargas-Mahar, Carondelet Health Network’s market chief executive officer. “We are committed to providing our patients – our families, friends, and loved ones -- with specialized care across southern Arizona.”

For more information on the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital, visit https://www.carondelet.org/services/neurology/the-epilepsy-monitoring-unit.