How to choose a hospital in China for drug-resistant epilepsy: compare assessment, treatment, and follow-up support first
Before choosing a hospital, write down the main issue you need help with now: unclear seizure type, poor seizure control with medication, assessment for surgery or neurostimulation, seizures returning after surgery, or device maintenance. Give each candidate team the same medical records and questions, and compare who can carry out the assessment, exactly where it will take place, how seizures will be managed, and who will take over care after you return home. An assessment at a center does not mean you have decided to have surgery.
Key points
- Ask your current neurologist to review your seizure and medication history; if you have tried two appropriate antiseizure medications and still do not have sustained seizure control, discuss whether you need a more specialized epilepsy assessment. Do not stop medication on your own or change it for testing.[1]
- A hospital's grade, the names of its equipment, or a single successful case cannot establish whether it is right for you. Compare the ages actually accepted, the team, monitoring, backup support, and who will explain the results after the assessment.
- Check-in, inpatient monitoring, and surgery are separate arrangements; confirm the appointment type in advance and whether hospital admission and a discussion of results require separate appointments.
- If a seizure lasts longer than five minutes, another seizure occurs soon afterward, the person has difficulty breathing or is difficult to wake, an injury occurs, or a seizure happens in water, call local emergency services immediately; in mainland China, call 120.[2][3]
Find candidate teams based on your needs
Prepare a one-page summary: the patient's age, when seizures began, what seizures currently look like and how often they occur, the most recent seizure, medications tried and reasons for changes, existing diagnoses, and one question you want the doctor to answer at this visit. For children, you can also note concerns about development, learning, or genetics; for anyone with an implanted stimulation device, record the manufacturer, model, most recent programming, and battery replacement history.
Ask your current doctor to help identify which assessments cannot wait and how to continue treatment while waiting or traveling. First ask the receiving team whether they need original seizure videos, EEG recordings and reports, original MRI images and reports, and previous surgery or implantation records; do not reduce medication on your own to provoke seizures or repeat tests on your own.
You can find candidate teams on hospitals' official neurology, pediatric neurology, or epilepsy center pages, or use the epilepsy map and center evaluation information from the China Association Against Epilepsy, then verify the details through official hospital channels. The association's center classification is a professional evaluation, not the hospital's administrative grade, and does not guarantee that a particular service is available at the current campus or that the patient has been accepted; centers undergo periodic reassessment, and lists, teams, and services may change.[4][5]
For example, the Neurology Department overview at the Children's Hospital of Fudan University describes a multidisciplinary team for childhood epilepsy; the Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Ward overview at Peking University First Hospital provides another point of contact. This is public information about pediatric teams, not a ranking or a promise to accept patients; adults should look separately for teams that accept adult patients. Confirm the actual campus, age eligibility, international patient registration, and your needs for this visit individually with the hospital.[6][7]
Compare hospitals' ability to complete this assessment
Send the same summary and relevant records to two or more candidate hospitals, and record the response date and contact person. You can check each of the questions below and mark unanswered items as “to be confirmed”:
| What to compare | Ask the hospital to explain |
|---|---|
| Patient acceptance and timing | Does the hospital accept adults or children, and does it accept the patient's identification documents? Which campus and department will provide care, and who will review the records? Is this a standard outpatient visit, a remote opinion, or an inpatient assessment? Which steps require separate appointments, and when are they expected to begin? |
| Seizures and diagnosis | Who will review the seizure videos, original EEG recordings, and MRI? If it is still uncertain whether all events are epileptic seizures, how will this be clarified? Might long-term video EEG monitoring or other tests be needed, and what are their purpose, location, waiting time, and cost? |
| When multidisciplinary input is needed | Who coordinates input from neurology, neurosurgery, EEG, imaging, and, when needed, psychology, genetics, or rehabilitation? Can you obtain written conclusions, and who will explain any disagreements? |
| Seizures and backup support | Who manages prolonged seizures or severe symptoms during monitoring, and whom do you contact at night? Where will emergency care, anesthesia, or intensive care support be provided if needed, and who will contact the receiving hospital if a transfer is necessary? |
| Treatment and follow-up | If surgery, a stimulation device, or dietary therapy is being assessed, what can the hospital provide, and what requires referral? Who arranges device programming, medication, follow-up visits, and ongoing care after you return home? |
| Practical arrangements | What are the requirements for medical records and translations, interpreting and accompaniment, estimated costs, expected hospital stay and overall length of stay, insurance, and changes to travel plans? |
These are questions to ask, and do not mean that every patient needs every test or treatment. Ask the doctor to explain what question each item is intended to answer and how it relates to your condition; having an outpatient appointment does not mean that an inpatient bed, surgery, or a device has been arranged.
If the patient has sleep, mood, memory, or other health problems, also ask the team which specialties need to be involved; for children with learning, nutrition, or developmental concerns, confirm the relevant support and arrangements for transfer to an adult team as they grow older. If language or cognitive assessment is needed, ask which language will be used and how interpreting may affect the results.[8]
If a hospital says it has a multidisciplinary team, ask specifically which professionals will review your records, when they will discuss your case, and who will explain the conclusions; if essential support is provided at another location, clarify whether the receiving team, records, and timing can be coordinated. The China Association Against Epilepsy's center evaluations can help you find candidates, but cannot replace these individual confirmations.[4]
How to understand differing opinions before deciding
After receiving opinions from two hospitals, first check whether both reviewed the same seizure videos, original EEG recordings, imaging, and complete medication history. If their conclusions differ, ask each to explain their assessment of the seizure type or area of onset, the supporting evidence, any remaining uncertainty, and which decisions the proposed additional tests would change. Ask your current doctor to help organize the differences; if you need another opinion, give a third team the same records and both reports.
When asking about treatment outcomes, compare more than “success rates.” Confirm whether the figures refer to complete seizure freedom, fewer seizures, or another outcome, which patients they apply to, the follow-up duration, the denominator, and how many patients were lost to follow-up; figures from different patient groups or calculated in different ways cannot be compared directly. Ask the team to explain them in relation to your possible benefits, risks, and alternatives, without guaranteeing an individual outcome.
If someone presenting an option mentions a new device, technique, or study, first ask for its specific name, goal, individual eligibility criteria, and whether it is a routine service or research at that hospital; if research is involved, request the study identifier and informed consent materials, and verify recruitment, costs, and options if you do not participate with the actual center. A device name or promotional material cannot establish whether it is suitable for you.
If you are considering surgery, ask the team to explain how the seizure area relates to functions such as language, memory, and movement, what further assessments are needed, how risks will be discussed, and what happens if surgery is unsuitable. For stimulation devices or dietary therapy, also clarify long-term adjustment or specialist follow-up. Specific treatment choices are made jointly by the patient and clinical team; you can read more in Treatment options for drug-resistant epilepsy.
Arrival, seizure response, and transfer of follow-up care
Ask your current team to write down a medication and seizure management plan for travel, confirm accompaniment, medications, and supporting documents for carrying them, and tell the transport provider and hospital what support you need. Ask the receiving team to confirm that your records have arrived and are readable, the campus and check-in time, and whether a caregiver and inpatient monitoring are needed; if any arrangements remain unconfirmed or your condition changes, contact your current doctor first and leave room to adjust your travel plans.
A caregiver should stay with the person having a seizure, time it, and move dangerous objects away; when the person is lying down, gently turn them onto their side and protect their head. Do not restrain their limbs or put anything in their mouth, and do not give food or water until they are fully alert. Call local emergency services immediately if the seizure lasts longer than five minutes, another seizure occurs soon afterward, the person has difficulty breathing or cannot be awakened, an injury occurs, the seizure happens in water, it is their first seizure, or it occurs during pregnancy; use prescribed rescue medication according to the emergency plan the doctor has written for that person.[2]
Before leaving, ask the team in China to provide the assessment conclusions, instructions for accessing EEG and imaging records, treatments given and a medication list, a seizure emergency plan, the next follow-up appointment, and contact details. If a device has been implanted, obtain its model and most recent programming record. Ask your doctor where you live to confirm that the records have been received and can be read, whether they can prescribe medication or program the device, the first appointment, and where to seek emergency care if problems occur; if they cannot take over care, ask both teams to help find an alternative team and agree on interim care.
Frequently asked questions
Is a higher-level center always a better fit?
Not necessarily. Professional evaluations can help identify candidates, but you still need to consider the patient's age, the issue to be addressed, the actual campus, and whether the necessary support is available, and ask the hospital to confirm acceptance.
If I have already taken two medications, do I definitely need surgery?
No. Ask a neurologist to review whether the medications were appropriate and how they were used, then determine whether a specialized assessment is needed. Suitability for surgery still requires a full assessment and shared discussion.[1]
If I have an outpatient appointment, can I be admitted directly for video EEG monitoring?
Not necessarily. Ask the hospital to confirm the outpatient visit, monitoring bed, preparation requirements, and dates separately; some services must be decided on after an in-person visit or booked separately.
If two hospitals make different recommendations, whose advice should I follow?
Confirm which records both teams reviewed, and ask each doctor to explain the basis for their assessment, the uncertainties, and the role of further testing; give the complete records to your current doctor or another team for discussion.
Do children need the same assessment as adults?
The assessment depends on age, seizures, development, and medical condition. First confirm whether a pediatric team, guardian accompaniment, language support, and school or developmental support can be arranged, rather than applying an adult care pathway on your own.
Should I stop antiseizure medication myself before monitoring?
Do not stop medication on your own. Ask the monitoring team and your current prescribing doctor to coordinate and confirm in writing the specific medication arrangements and what to do if a seizure occurs.
What if the local hospital cannot adjust the device after I return home?
Before deciding on implantation and return travel, check the model, equipment, and programming capabilities with the team where you live. If they cannot take over care, ask the original team to help find another facility and discuss interim follow-up; seek nearby emergency care for severe symptoms.
Sources
- International League Against Epilepsy: Drug-resistant epilepsy; When a higher level of assessment is needed.
- US CDC: Seizure first aid: first aid steps and when to seek help; the US number in the original has been replaced with instructions to contact local emergency services.
- Beijing Communications Administration: Emergency assistance numbers: the medical emergency telephone number in mainland China.
- China Association Against Epilepsy: Notice on the fifth round of center evaluations: professional evaluation, classification, and results; these are not hospital administrative grades.
- China Association Against Epilepsy: Center accreditation renewal guidance: ongoing oversight and reassessment.
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University: Neurology Department.
- Peking University First Hospital: Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Ward.
- International League Against Epilepsy: Multidisciplinary discussions in epilepsy surgery assessment. The receiving team determines the specific assessments.
Sources checked on: November 6, 2026. Public descriptions cannot establish current appointment availability, actual patient acceptance, or individual suitability; please confirm with the hospital.