• Patricia Pozo-Rosich, Alba Martínez-García, Julio Pascual, Emilio Ignacio, Ángel L Guerrero-Peral, José Balseiro-Gómez, Jesús Porta-Etessam, Germán Latorre-González, Almudena Layos-Romero, César Lucas, and José J Mira.
• Headache Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
• J Headache Pain. 2019 Jun 25; 20 (1): 73.

ObjectiveTo assess the quality of the therapeutic approach in Specialized Headache Units in Spain.MethodsAn observational (prospective) study was conducted. Anonymized data of 313 consecutive patients during a defined period of time were analyzed and a comparison of performance in 13 consensual quality indicators between Specialized Headache Units and neurology consultations was calculated. Specialized Units and neurology consultations represented the type of provision that Spaniards receive in hospitals.ResultsThe consensus benchmark standard was reached for 8/13 (61%) indicators. Specialized Headache Units performed better in the indicators, specifically in relation to accessibility, equity, safety, and patient satisfaction. Patients attended in Specialized Headache Units had more complex conditions.ConclusionAlthough there is variability among Specialized Headache Units, the overall quality was generally better than in traditional neurology consultations in Spain.

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