Neurology Outpatient Demand: Comparison Between a Ministry of Public Health Hospital and the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security of Ecuador

Sebastian Villate; Senovia Martinez Matute; Mishell Zurita Peña; Brigget Buenaño Diaz

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14

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Neurology Outpatient Demand: Comparison Between a Ministry of Public Health Hospital and the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security of Ecuador

Sebastian Villate^*

, Senovia Martinez Matute

, Mishell Zurita Peña

, Brigget Buenaño Diaz

Published in International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation (Volume 2, Issue 1)

Received: 5 January 2026 Accepted: 26 January 2026 Published: 9 February 2026

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Abstract

It is common to compare the reasons of medical consultations between institutions, but there are very few publications that compare specialist consultations between the Ministry of Public Health and private institutions. If we add to that that in Ecuador, there is a clearly defined climatic-territorial division between the highlands, coast, and Amazon region that could influence significantly the types of consultations. Objective: to compare the neurological demand evaluated in outpatient consultations between a hospital of the Ministry of Public Health on the Ecuadorian coast and a hospital of the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security in the highlands of Ecuador. Results: both institutions present headaches as the main reason for consultation. Epilepsy, the second most frequent etiological group, was the only group that showed a significant difference, with a higher number of patients (p=0.001) as well as consultations (p=0.0001) in the Ministry of Public Health compared to the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security. Conclusion: Headaches were the main reason why patients went to the neurologist, agreeing with the rest of world publications that describe neurology outpatient consultation. Cases of epilepsy were a controversial point that must be studied in the future to understand why they occur more at the Ministry of Public Health. The analysis of outpatient consultations can be helpful when managing health policies, regardless of the healthcare facility location.

Published in	International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation (Volume 2, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14
Page(s)	23-29
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Neurology Outpatient Consultation, Ministry of Public Health, Private Institutions

References

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[3]	Biggin F, Knight J, Dayanandan R, Marson A, Wilson M, Nitkunan A, et al. Outpatient neurology diagnostic coding: a proposed scheme for standardized implementation. Pract Neurol 2023; 23: 317-22. https://doi.org/10.1136/pn-2021-003286
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[12]	Biggin F, Ashcroft Q, Howcroft T, Knight J, Emsley H. Discovering patterns in outpatient neurology appointments using state sequence analysis. BMC Health Serv Res. 2023; 23: 1208. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-10218-y
[13]	Stone J, Carson A, Duncan R, Roberts R, Warlow C, Hibberd C, et al. Who is referred to neurology clinics? the diagnoses made in 3781 new patients. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2010 Nov; 112(9): 747-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clineuro.2010.05.011
[14]	Yogarajah M, Mula M. Social cognition, psychiatric comorbidities, and quality of life in adults with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2019; 100: 106321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.05.017
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APA Style

Villate, S., Matute, S. M., Peña, M. Z., Diaz, B. B. (2026). Neurology Outpatient Demand: Comparison Between a Ministry of Public Health Hospital and the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security of Ecuador. International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation, 2(1), 23-29. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14

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ACS Style

Villate, S.; Matute, S. M.; Peña, M. Z.; Diaz, B. B. Neurology Outpatient Demand: Comparison Between a Ministry of Public Health Hospital and the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security of Ecuador. Int. J. Med. Res. Innovation 2026, 2(1), 23-29. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14

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AMA Style

Villate S, Matute SM, Peña MZ, Diaz BB. Neurology Outpatient Demand: Comparison Between a Ministry of Public Health Hospital and the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security of Ecuador. Int J Med Res Innovation. 2026;2(1):23-29. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14

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@article{10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14,
  author = {Sebastian Villate and Senovia Martinez Matute and Mishell Zurita Peña and Brigget Buenaño Diaz},
  title = {Neurology Outpatient Demand: Comparison Between a Ministry of Public Health Hospital and the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security of Ecuador},
  journal = {International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation},
  volume = {2},
  number = {1},
  pages = {23-29},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmri.20260201.14},
  abstract = {It is common to compare the reasons of medical consultations between institutions, but there are very few publications that compare specialist consultations between the Ministry of Public Health and private institutions. If we add to that that in Ecuador, there is a clearly defined climatic-territorial division between the highlands, coast, and Amazon region that could influence significantly the types of consultations. Objective: to compare the neurological demand evaluated in outpatient consultations between a hospital of the Ministry of Public Health on the Ecuadorian coast and a hospital of the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security in the highlands of Ecuador. Results: both institutions present headaches as the main reason for consultation. Epilepsy, the second most frequent etiological group, was the only group that showed a significant difference, with a higher number of patients (p=0.001) as well as consultations (p=0.0001) in the Ministry of Public Health compared to the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security. Conclusion: Headaches were the main reason why patients went to the neurologist, agreeing with the rest of world publications that describe neurology outpatient consultation. Cases of epilepsy were a controversial point that must be studied in the future to understand why they occur more at the Ministry of Public Health. The analysis of outpatient consultations can be helpful when managing health policies, regardless of the healthcare facility location.},
 year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Neurology Outpatient Demand: Comparison Between a Ministry of Public Health Hospital and the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security of Ecuador
AU  - Sebastian Villate
AU  - Senovia Martinez Matute
AU  - Mishell Zurita Peña
AU  - Brigget Buenaño Diaz
Y1  - 2026/02/09
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14
T2  - International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation
JF  - International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation
JO  - International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation
SP  - 23
EP  - 29
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 3070-6319
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14
AB  - It is common to compare the reasons of medical consultations between institutions, but there are very few publications that compare specialist consultations between the Ministry of Public Health and private institutions. If we add to that that in Ecuador, there is a clearly defined climatic-territorial division between the highlands, coast, and Amazon region that could influence significantly the types of consultations. Objective: to compare the neurological demand evaluated in outpatient consultations between a hospital of the Ministry of Public Health on the Ecuadorian coast and a hospital of the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security in the highlands of Ecuador. Results: both institutions present headaches as the main reason for consultation. Epilepsy, the second most frequent etiological group, was the only group that showed a significant difference, with a higher number of patients (p=0.001) as well as consultations (p=0.0001) in the Ministry of Public Health compared to the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security. Conclusion: Headaches were the main reason why patients went to the neurologist, agreeing with the rest of world publications that describe neurology outpatient consultation. Cases of epilepsy were a controversial point that must be studied in the future to understand why they occur more at the Ministry of Public Health. The analysis of outpatient consultations can be helpful when managing health policies, regardless of the healthcare facility location.
VL  - 2
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Sebastian Villate

Neurology, Riobamba General Hospital of the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security, Riobamba, Ecuador

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0386-5678
Senovia Martinez Matute

Dermatology, Teófilo Dávila General Hospital of the Ministry of Public Health, Machala, Ecuador

http://orcid.org/0009-0006-8792-5680
Mishell Zurita Peña

Dermatology, Teófilo Dávila General Hospital of the Ministry of Public Health, Machala, Ecuador

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2548-7559
Brigget Buenaño Diaz

Neurology, Riobamba General Hospital of the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security, Riobamba, Ecuador

http://orcid.org/0009-0004-7795-8281

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APA Style

Villate, S., Matute, S. M., Peña, M. Z., Diaz, B. B. (2026). Neurology Outpatient Demand: Comparison Between a Ministry of Public Health Hospital and the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security of Ecuador. International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation, 2(1), 23-29. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14

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ACS Style

Villate, S.; Matute, S. M.; Peña, M. Z.; Diaz, B. B. Neurology Outpatient Demand: Comparison Between a Ministry of Public Health Hospital and the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security of Ecuador. Int. J. Med. Res. Innovation 2026, 2(1), 23-29. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14

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AMA Style

Villate S, Matute SM, Peña MZ, Diaz BB. Neurology Outpatient Demand: Comparison Between a Ministry of Public Health Hospital and the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security of Ecuador. Int J Med Res Innovation. 2026;2(1):23-29. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14

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@article{10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14,
  author = {Sebastian Villate and Senovia Martinez Matute and Mishell Zurita Peña and Brigget Buenaño Diaz},
  title = {Neurology Outpatient Demand: Comparison Between a Ministry of Public Health Hospital and the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security of Ecuador},
  journal = {International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation},
  volume = {2},
  number = {1},
  pages = {23-29},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmri.20260201.14},
  abstract = {It is common to compare the reasons of medical consultations between institutions, but there are very few publications that compare specialist consultations between the Ministry of Public Health and private institutions. If we add to that that in Ecuador, there is a clearly defined climatic-territorial division between the highlands, coast, and Amazon region that could influence significantly the types of consultations. Objective: to compare the neurological demand evaluated in outpatient consultations between a hospital of the Ministry of Public Health on the Ecuadorian coast and a hospital of the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security in the highlands of Ecuador. Results: both institutions present headaches as the main reason for consultation. Epilepsy, the second most frequent etiological group, was the only group that showed a significant difference, with a higher number of patients (p=0.001) as well as consultations (p=0.0001) in the Ministry of Public Health compared to the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security. Conclusion: Headaches were the main reason why patients went to the neurologist, agreeing with the rest of world publications that describe neurology outpatient consultation. Cases of epilepsy were a controversial point that must be studied in the future to understand why they occur more at the Ministry of Public Health. The analysis of outpatient consultations can be helpful when managing health policies, regardless of the healthcare facility location.},
 year = {2026}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Neurology Outpatient Demand: Comparison Between a Ministry of Public Health Hospital and the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security of Ecuador
AU  - Sebastian Villate
AU  - Senovia Martinez Matute
AU  - Mishell Zurita Peña
AU  - Brigget Buenaño Diaz
Y1  - 2026/02/09
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14
T2  - International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation
JF  - International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation
JO  - International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation
SP  - 23
EP  - 29
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 3070-6319
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.14
AB  - It is common to compare the reasons of medical consultations between institutions, but there are very few publications that compare specialist consultations between the Ministry of Public Health and private institutions. If we add to that that in Ecuador, there is a clearly defined climatic-territorial division between the highlands, coast, and Amazon region that could influence significantly the types of consultations. Objective: to compare the neurological demand evaluated in outpatient consultations between a hospital of the Ministry of Public Health on the Ecuadorian coast and a hospital of the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security in the highlands of Ecuador. Results: both institutions present headaches as the main reason for consultation. Epilepsy, the second most frequent etiological group, was the only group that showed a significant difference, with a higher number of patients (p=0.001) as well as consultations (p=0.0001) in the Ministry of Public Health compared to the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security. Conclusion: Headaches were the main reason why patients went to the neurologist, agreeing with the rest of world publications that describe neurology outpatient consultation. Cases of epilepsy were a controversial point that must be studied in the future to understand why they occur more at the Ministry of Public Health. The analysis of outpatient consultations can be helpful when managing health policies, regardless of the healthcare facility location.
VL  - 2
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download