At this critical time in our profession, the AANS has become the true leader and effective advocate for neurosurgery. Whether it’s increased competition from other specialties, or the challenges thrust upon us by federal agencies and managed care organizations, the AANS has stepped forward to meet some of the toughest obstacles we face.
Your organization is positioned to tackle some of these challenges through activities and programs designed to meet AANS members’ growing needs, as well as put neurosurgery’s best foot forward. Following are some ways the AANS is working for you.
Provider of Scientific Knowledge
The AANS is the leader in the communication of scientific knowledge within the field, publishing numerous reference books, texts on clinical neurosurgical topics and on the history of neurosurgery, and Neurosurgical Operative Atlases. The AANS also publishes three scholarly scientific journals: Journal of Neurosurgery, the premier monthly neurosurgical research journal; Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, a scientific quarterly focusing on disorders of the spine; and Neurosurgical Focus
Resource for Socioeconomic Information
The AANS provides members with a wealth of socioeconomic resources to help their practices prosper, such as:
- AANS Bulletin: The first socioeconomic and professional quarterly for neurosurgeons featuring coding advice, practice management tips and legislative news.
- AANS Coding Hotline: The premier service that provides members with individualized coding assistance at a modest cost.
- Coding and Practice Management Courses: All-new courses that teach members and their practice staff the latest coding and reimbursement techniques and practice-building skills.
- Malpractice Insurance Program: The AANS recently selected The Doctors’ Company to offer a discounted professional liability insurance program to its members.
- Medicare/Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Insurance: Affordable protection covering the legal costs associated with civil Medicare or Medicaid billing fraud proceedings.
- AMA CPT Editorial Advisory Panel: AANS volunteers serve on this important AMA advisory group that works to develop appropriate CPT codes for various medical and surgical procedures.
- Professional Conduct: The AANS Professional Conduct Committee provides a recourse for members aggrieved by another member in a tort proceeding.
- Expert Witness File: The AANS maintains an Expert Witness Transcript File that can be accessed by legal counsel in litigation involving a neurosurgeon.
- Practice Management Books: The AANS is currently developing a collection of publications that will offer information on the practical aspects of managing a medical practice.
- Legislative and Regulatory Outreach: The AANS has taken an active role in representing neurosurgeons and their patients on a wide range of issues, through the efforts of its Committee on Physician Reimbursement and the grassroots efforts of neurosurgeon volunteers. Advocacy activities include halting HCFA physician payment reductions, supporting the passage of managed care reform legislationn, and leveling the playing field between physicians and health plans.
Accrediter of Continuing Medical Education
As an organization accredited by the ACCME to provide CME credits for its educational activities, the AANS offers several professional learning opportunities including the Annual Meeting, the largest neurosurgical conference in the world for neurosurgeons. It provides attendees with countless opportunities to learn about the latest innovations in the practice of neurosurgery and to network with colleagues. This year’s meeting will take place April 8-13, in San Francisco.
In addition, the AANS offers continuing medical education clinical courses and CME record maintenance that is vital for your re-licensure, hospital and faculty appointments, and national and state medical organization memberships.
Supporter of Clinical Research
The AANS has recently broadened the mission of its Research Foundation to become more active in the area of clinical and basic research funding. The Foundation, now called the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation, has granted more than $2 million to neary 60 promising researchers over the past 20 years and looks forward to expanding its funding in the future. The AANS also has supported the future of the specialty through an array of special grants and fellowships, including the Van Wagenen Fellowship.
Spokesorganization for Neurosurgery
The AANS, as the spokesorganization for neurosurgery, is committed to raising awareness of the field and the valuable role neurosurgeons play in treating common medical conditions. The AANS offers programs to educate the public about neurological health issues, while at the same time promotes the expertise of the neurosurgeon and the scope of neurosurgical practice to the media, referring physicians, managed care organizations and third-party payers. This is accomplished through a variety of activities:
- Public Awareness: The AANS will soon launch a major public awareness program with the publication of a special neurosurgical insert in USA Today. Other projects include a series of prepared newspaper columns on neurosurgical topics, the development of a media awards program for journalists, and the creation of a grassroots spokesperson network and neurosurgical procedures statistic database.
- Media Relations: The AANS serves as an informational clearinghouse for the media, providing expert information about neurosurgical practice, arranging interviews with AANS members, developing AANS position statements and news releases and operating a press room at the Annual Meeting.
- Patient Inquiries: The AANS provides information to thousands of patients and family members.
- Organizational Liaisons: The AANS represents your interests with volunteer liaisons to a number of medical specialty groups, as well as groups dealing with professional liability, tort reform and clinical practice.
- Neurosurgical Marketing Exhibit: To increase awareness of the scope of neurosurgical practice with referring physicians, AANS co-sponsors a special exhibit displayed at the annual scientific meetings of the American Academy of Family Physicians and American College of Physicians/ American Society of Internal Medicine.
- Getting SMART About Neurosurgery: The AANS jointly developed this successful program to help neurosurgeons respond to the many changes impacting neurosurgical practice, re-establish contact with old or diminishing referrral sources and position members as spine and cerebrovascular specialists.
- NEUROSURGERY://ON-CALL®: With more than 60,000 visitors per month, N://OC® provides access to everything from organizational information to patient education materials and scientific databases.
AANS: Member Driven
As the largest neurosurgical association dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in education, the AANS requires the active involvement of many dedicated volunteers. In a recent AANS leadership survey, the majority of the Board members said they devote 50-120 hours of their time each year to AANS activities. In addition, hundreds of other members spend countless hours to build the important programs described here.
By the same token, we could not accomplish as much as we do without the solid support of our staff. They are focused on membership service and satisfaction, and provide valuable advice and business savvy to keep us on an even keel. The relationship between volunteers and staff makes for a powerful partnership indeed.
Clearly you can see how the AANS is positioned to meet your needs now and in the future.
Fremont P. Wirth, MD, is a neurosurgeon in private practice in Savannah, Georgia, and a member of the AANS Board of Directors.