EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — Epilepsy patients in El Paso will now be able to access the highest level of specialized care without leaving the region after Texas Tech Health El Paso and its academic hospital partner, University Medical Center of El Paso, earned a top national certification.

The National Association of Epilepsy Centers certified the joint program as a Level 4 Epilepsy Center on Friday, April 3. A Level 4 Epilepsy Center represents the highest level of care for patients with epilepsy, offering the most advanced diagnostic and treatment options, including complex surgical interventions. The designation is the first of its kind for the Borderplex.

Sushma Reddy Yerram, M.D., a neurologist with Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso and an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at the Foster School of Medicine, shared that this certification means avoiding long-distance travel for their patients.

“With this designation, our epilepsy patients can receive the most advanced medical and surgical care close to home—eliminating the need to travel elsewhere,” Yerram said.

Before the certification, patients from El Paso and their families had to travel to Albuquerque, Phoenix, Dallas, Austin or San Antonio to receive level 4 of epilepsy care. Staying in El Paso means patients can remain close to their support systems of family and friends while receiving advanced care.

Texas Tech Health El Paso President Richard Lange, M.D., M.B.A., shared his pride in the efforts involved.

“This milestone reflects an extraordinary collaborative effort, and I’m incredibly proud of the team whose dedication made this historic achievement possible,” Lange said.

For more information on Texas Tech Health El Paso epilepsy services, visit ttuhscep.edu.

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