The most recent meeting of the assembly of the Council State Neurosurgical Societies (CSNS) took place in San Diego on Sept. 28 and 29, 2001, immediately preceding the CNS Annual Meeting. Although the meeting took place only 17 days after the tragic events of Sept. 11, delegate attendance at the meeting was relatively normal compared to previous attendance. Overall, the meeting was successful and several important actions were accomplished. Gary Bloomgarden, MD, was elected to recording secretary of the Council, and Mark Linskey, MD, was appointed chairman of the Medical Practices Committee. A number of important issues and topics were discussed, debated, and voted upon at the meeting. The delegate members submitted a total of seven resolutions to the assembly. The following is a summary of the resolutions and their disposition.
RESOLUTION I: ROLE OF MID-LEVEL PRACTITIONERS IN THE CSNS
Assembly adopted substitute resolution:
Be it resolved, that Mid-level Neurosurgical Practitioners (PA-C and APRN) be invited as guests of the CSNS to attend committee meetings, quadrant meetings, luncheons and plenary sessions. The Association of Neurosurgical Physician Assistants (ANSPA) and the American Associate of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN) may each appoint two representatives to attend the CSNS at their own expense. These representatives must be associate members of the AANS or CNS. The attendance will be limited for two years, after which the Executive Committee will provide recommendations for future attendance. Therefore, with acceptance of this Resolution, the assembly is formally inviting our professional colleagues to participate in the deliberative process of the Council. Their input will be most welcomed.
RESOLUTION II: FACILITATION OF THINK FIRST
Assembly Adopted Amended Resolution:
Be it resolved, that the CSNS will help facilitate communication between the State Neurosurgical Societies and the Think First Chapter Directors by:
- Writing a letter to the state neurosurgical societies asking that they include a representative of Think First at their annual meetings.
- Asking the state societies to designate a liaison to the state/regional Think First program.
- Encouraging members to participate in active Think First programs in their area.
- Encouraging members to help establish new programs in their state with the assistance of the State Chapter Director.
RESOLUTION III: DISCIPLINARY ACTION FOR CNS AND AANS MEMBERS
Not Adopted.
Be it resolved, that the CSNS recommend that the AANS and CNS act jointly in the censure of physicians, ideally through the formation of a single committee, and
Be it further resolved, that if a single professional conduct committee can not be formed, that the procedures and time sequence followed for the evaluation of a physician under review be essentially the same for the two organizations.
RESOLUTION IV: REIMBURSEMENT METHODOLOGIES
Assembly Adopted Substitute Resolutions:
Be it resolved, that the CSNS task the CSNS Medical Practice Committee and CSNS Reimbursement Committee to work jointly with the AANS-CNS Coding and Reimbursement Committee to study the feasibility and details for:Be it further resolved, that the CSNS Medicall Practice Committee and CSNS Reimbursement Committee should report back to the CSNS on this feasibility and details at the next CSNS meeting.This is an extremely important resolution that both committees will be exploring and reporting to the CSNS Executive Committee. Organizing neurosurgery practice managers so that important practice data can be adequately collected and studied should prove invaluable to neurosurgery.
- Organizing representative practice managers.
- Defining their status with our parent organizations.
- Allowing for collection of practice costs and reimbursement information across geographic regions on a regular and ongoing basis.
RESOLUTION V: CUBAN NEUROSURGEONS
Referred to committee.
Be it resolved, that the AANS and CNS actively recruit and promote membership from the Neurosurgical National Association of Cuba, in an appropriate category, and
Be it further resolved, that the AANS and CNS do so gratis for a period of five years, including Journal subscriptions to be renewed at their discretion.
RESOLUTION VI: JOINT LOBBYING FOR INJURY PREVENTION
Not Adopted.
Be it resolved, that organized neurosurgery through its representative leadership of the AANS and CNS, approach Think First to establish a state legislative lobbying package promulgating the reduction of traumatic injuries through state supported, school run, educational programs.
RESOLUTION VII: WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
Referred to the Joint Committee or Military Neurosurgeons
for Futher Development
Be it resolved, that the CSNS, CNS and AANS support all urgent efforts aimed at domestic preparedness for attack by Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), andDavid F. Jimenez, MD, FACS, is the chairman of the CSNS, [email protected].
Be it further resolved, that the CSNS, CNS and AANS urgently call on all neurosurgeons to educate themselves regarding the management of victims of WMD and educate themselves regarding the domestic preparedness system for WMD, and
Be it further resolved, that the CSNS, CNS and AANS urgently call on neurosurgeons to assist in and support the education of all physicians and health care professionals in their community regarding domestic preparedness for attack by WMD, and
Be it further resolved, that the CSNS, CNS and AANS urgently communicate to its membership the need for domestic preparedness for attack by WMD using all means at its disposal, and Be it further resolved, that all American neurosurgeons, the CSNS, CNS and AANS insist that their local hospitals fully implement all federal programs for domestic preparedness for attack by WMD, and Be it further resolved, that the CSNS, CNS and AANS consider participating in state and federal lobbying efforts to fully fund such efforts for domestic preparedness for attack by WMD.