Mercy Health – Lourdes Hospital has opened its newly-renovated epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU). The new EMU doubles the capacity of the original unit.
The renovated unit on the hospital’s fourth floor takes the place of the EMU that first opened in 2016. Epilepsy monitoring is an inpatient service for both adults and children who have experienced seizures or who have been diagnosed with epilepsy and need help managing the disorder. The unit utilizes EEGs to evaluate electrical activity within the brains of patients on the unit. EEGs are one of the primary diagnostic tools for epilepsy. Epileptologist Jim Ed Couch, D.O., and his brother, neurosurgeon Jonathan Couch, D.O., work together to diagnose and treat patients in the EMU.
Lourdes’ Neuroscience Service Line Director Whitney Evans said the new unit was needed. "Immediately when we started the service, we began keeping a wait list because of the demand,” Evans said. “It demonstrated both the need for the service and then our need to further expand those services. It also helps that we have one of the region’s only epileptologists to care for our patients.”
“The new unit is perfect for my needs caring for patients,” Dr. Jim Ed Couch said. “Even more importantly, it is perfect for the needs of our patients. The rooms are very homey, especially those designated for our pediatric patients as we made every effort to make the surroundings comforting to lessen any anxieties our youngest patients may have about being in the hospital. I would like to thank the generous donors who made this new unit possible.” The EMU expansion was made by possible by donors of the Mercy Health Foundation – Lourdes, which funded the EMU’s renovations.
The renovated unit on the hospital’s fourth floor takes the place of the EMU that first opened in 2016. Epilepsy monitoring is an inpatient service for both adults and children who have experienced seizures or who have been diagnosed with epilepsy and need help managing the disorder. The unit utilizes EEGs to evaluate electrical activity within the brains of patients on the unit. EEGs are one of the primary diagnostic tools for epilepsy. Epileptologist Jim Ed Couch, D.O., and his brother, neurosurgeon Jonathan Couch, D.O., work together to diagnose and treat patients in the EMU.
Lourdes’ Neuroscience Service Line Director Whitney Evans said the new unit was needed. "Immediately when we started the service, we began keeping a wait list because of the demand,” Evans said. “It demonstrated both the need for the service and then our need to further expand those services. It also helps that we have one of the region’s only epileptologists to care for our patients.”
“The new unit is perfect for my needs caring for patients,” Dr. Jim Ed Couch said. “Even more importantly, it is perfect for the needs of our patients. The rooms are very homey, especially those designated for our pediatric patients as we made every effort to make the surroundings comforting to lessen any anxieties our youngest patients may have about being in the hospital. I would like to thank the generous donors who made this new unit possible.” The EMU expansion was made by possible by donors of the Mercy Health Foundation – Lourdes, which funded the EMU’s renovations.