Objective: Epilepsy is a chronic disease that affects patients worldwide and significantly impairs quality of life. In recent years, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine has emerged as an important alternative for epilepsy management. This study investigates the effects of face-to-face and telemedicine follow-up methods on quality of life, anxiety-depression levels, and patient satisfaction among patients with epilepsy.

Material and Method: A cohort of 60 patients, aged 18 to 65 years, who were under observation at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, was recruited for this study. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups: face-to-face (n =30) and telemedicine (n =30). The Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 (QOLIE-31) questionnaire was employed to assess quality of life, while anxiety and depression were analyzed via The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Patient satisfaction was measured with the Short Assessment of Patient Satisfaction (SAPS).

Results: The telemedicine group demonstrated significantly higher total QOLIE-31 scores compared to the face-to-face group (55.4 ± 13.2 vs. 46.2 ± 12.9; p =0.0061). Additionally, the telemedicine group showed superior scores in general quality of life (p =0.0019), emotional well-being (p =0.0214), energy/fatigue (p =0.0451), and social functioning (p=0.0483). Anxiety scores were significantly lower in the telemedicine group (6.8 ± 5.6 vs. 9.6 ± 4.9; p =0.0289). Patient satisfaction levels were also significantly greater in the telemedicine group based on SAPS scores (p <0.001).

Conclusion: Telemedicine follow-up improves quality of life and patient satisfaction while reducing anxiety levels in patients with epilepsy. These findings support the integration of telemedicine as an effective monitoring tool and a key component of comprehensive epilepsy care.