Applauding CMS Move to Real Meaningful Use

Deborah L. Benzil, MD, FACS, FAANS, AANS (right) Chair, AANS/CNS Communications and Public Relations Committee Mount Kismo Medical Group Columbia University Medical Center Mt Kisco, New York and Rachel Groman, Vice President, Clinical Affairs and Quality Improvement (left) Hart Health Strategies “We have to get the hearts and minds of physicians back…I think we’ve lost […]

Does this Really Help?

Guest Post from Deborah L. Benzil, MD, FACS, FAANS Vice President, AANS Chair, AANS/CNS Communications and Public Relations Committee MKMG Columbia University Medical Center Mt Kisco, New York Thick, innocuous appearing mailings from insurance companies often arrive in a physician’s inbox. Most physicians probably toss these directly into the nearest trash receptacle. Who has time […]

Tackling the Gordian Knot of Quality Measurement

Guest post from Katie O. Orrico, JD Director, Washington Office American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) From time to time on Neurosurgery Blog you will see us cross-posting or linking to pieces from other places when we believe they involve issues that merit highlighting to our readers. Today’s post originally […]

Implementation of Physician Payments Sunshine Act Begins

Starting on Aug. 1, 2013, the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, which was part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), will require manufacturers of drugs, medical devices and biologics to report certain payments and items of value given to physicians and teaching hospitals. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also will make […]

Neurosurgery Leading the Quality Charge in Spine Care: N2QOD in the News

For today’s post we thought you might be interested in this profile of the National Neurosurgery Quality and Outcomes Database (N2QOD) that was published in Becker’s Spine Review. The article reviews the essential aspects of the program, discusses the broader significance of registry efforts and also points out the broad potential applications of quality programs […]

AANS Joins ‘Partners for Healthy Dialogues’ Campaign

When it comes to our health, appropriate collaboration between physicians and biopharmaceutical and medical device professionals is essential to improving the care that patients receive. It is for this very reason that the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) has joined the ‘Partners for Healthy Dialogues’ campaign because we believe there is great value when […]

Neurosurgeons Make their Mark at AMA Meeting

The 2012 Interim Meeting of the American Medical Association’s just concluded, and once again, neurosurgery’s small, but mighty, delegation made its mark.  In recognition of his longstanding service to his patients and the profession, the AMA honored one of neurosurgery’s own – Dr. Mark J. Kubala – with its Distinguished Service Award.  In addition, the […]