Do Centers of Excellence excel in patient outcomes?: Evidence from U.S. Veterans Health Administration Centers for Epilepsy

The Veterans Health Administration created in 2009 several Epilepsy Centers of Excellence (ECoE) for epilepsy treatment to improve health outcomes of veterans suffering undergoing treatment for epilepsy. Our outcomes study assesses the health quality at these ECoEs in comparison to non-ECoEs over a three year time period (2009 to 2011). Data from both ECoEs and Non-ECoEs were collected on a number of health outcome measures to empirically test if ECoEs led to better health outcomes than non-ECoEs. Findings show that ECoEs, compared to non-ECoEs, led to higher emergency room visits, higher hospitalizations, but lower drug prescriptions. However, ECoEs and non-ECoEs did not have statistically significant differences in adverse effects of medications. The study concludes with the findings, implications and limitations in ways that impact the prevailing perspectives on the concept of Centers of Excellence.