The Council of State Neurosurgical Societies (CSNS), composed of delegates from all state neurosurgical societies and appointed representatives from The American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons, has passed a resolution requesting the AANS and CNS to: 1) Develop a joint strategic plan, and 2) consolidate resources. The resolution was developed by the CSNS Executive Committee and approved at the Council’s session on April 24, 1999, in New Orleans. The motion comes after more than one year of debate between the AANS and CNS on differences surrounding meeting management, marketing and other issues.
“While it is true that the AANS and CNS have become focused on the same mission,” H. Hunt Batjer, MD, President of the CNS, said at the CSNS open debate on the resolution, “the two organizations go about conducting their business in two very different ways. Many joint programs, like the Washington Committee, benefit from having both the young, committed, passionate leaders of the CNS mix with the older, more experienced AANS leadership. Competition is also good in some areas.”
The resolution must now go to the AANS Board of Directors and the CNS Executive Committee for approval. Prior to the CSNS resolution, both organizations discussed motions of their own to consider a joint strategic plan.
“This needs to happen, but it needs to happen in an evolutionary, not a revolutionary way,” Martin H. Weiss, MD, President of the AANS, said at the CSNS open debate. “The message from the CSNS has been heard loud and clear.”
Currently, the AANS and CNS are separate organizations with separate boards, annual meetings, journals and committees. They participate in several jointly sponsored projects and committees including: the Washington Committee and Office; the Sections; NEUROSURGERY://ON-CALL® , the official Web site of both organizations; the CSNS; the Outcomes Committee and several others. The Joint Officers, which consists of the Officers of the two groups, was formed several years ago to facilitate communication and planning between the two groups. They meet three times a year and have frequent conference calls.
The AANS runs a National Office in Park Ridge, Illinois, that includes convention planning; continuing medical education tracking and course development; membership services; communications; marketing; and accounting. The CNS maintains a small support staff for its Executive Committee in the office of its Secretary and currently contracts with the AANS for administration of its Annual Meeting, including meeting planning, exhibit sales, promotion, registration and financial tracking. Recent debate between the two organizations has focused on the CNS’ recent decision to move the management of its meeting to an outside vendor.
“This decision was purely a business decision,” Daniel Barrow, MD, president-elect of the CNS, said at the open debate. “Our Annual Meeting is our most important product, and this is the only area where we compete directly with the AANS. It’s hard to contract with someone who is your competition. Right now, everyone needs to decide if these two organizations are servicing their members and, if not, stop paying their dues.”
The management of the CNS Annual Meeting has often been an issue for debate between the two organizations, with the CNS seeking proposals for outside administration on several occasions, including 1994. The AANS National Office also administers the Annual Meetings of the AANS/CNS Sections on Spine, Pediatrics and Cerebrovascular Surgery and the symposiums of the Pain and Tumor Sections.
“I’m not sure if complete consolidation of the two groups is the answer,” Russell L. Travis, MD, Past-President of the AANS, said in the open debate. “But I am sure that having two complete, separate entities who were in direct competition would be the worst for all of neurosurgery.”
Dr. Travis continued, “We have made a proposal for the CNS to house any infrastructure needs they may have at the AANS National Office, and to share any resources that we may have in common. We at the AANS are doing everything possible to keep organized neurosurgery under one roof.”
Progress by the AANS and CNS on the resolution will be discussed at the CSNS session in Boston on October 29, 1999, prior to the start of the CNS Annual Meeting.