Global Pain Initiative: Changing the Way People with Pain are Treated
Christopher J. Winfree, MD, FAANS Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University New York, NY Pain management in American is currently undergoing a renovation. In the early 2000s, it became apparent that undertreated chronic pain was a huge health care problem. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) commissioned a detailed investigation into the status of pain health […]
Neurosurgery Putting Patient Safety First
Guest post written on behalf of The CSNS Patient Safety Ad Hoc Committee Abdul-Kareem Ahmed (left) Medical Student at Brown University Providence, Rhode Island Kristopher T. Kimmell, MD (right) Neurosurgical Resident, University of Rochester Medical Center Rochester, NY Since neurosurgical pioneer Harvey Cushing invented the modern anesthesia record and helped lower the morbidity and mortality […]
Trauma Legislation Passed by House Committee
There are significant gaps in our trauma and emergency healthcare delivery systems, and trauma is the leading killer of Americans under the age of 44. Over the years, the AANS and CNS have worked tirelessly to urge Congress to provide full funding for the trauma and emergency care regionalization programs, which would support grants to […]
IOM Releases New Report on Sports Concussion in Youth
Guest Blog from Julian E. Bailes, MD Bennett-Tarkington Chair Department of Neurosurgery, NorthShore University HealthSystem Co-Director, NorthShore Neurological Institute Recently, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council, with support from several other government agencies and private groups, issued a 306-page report entitled: “Sports-Related Concussions in Youth: Improving the Science, Changing the Culture.” This […]
Study Finds Medicare Spending Variations Due to Health Differences NOT “Overtreatment”
For many years, healthcare policy researchers have put forward the notion that Medicare spending variations across the U.S. are solely due to wasteful practices and overtreatment — an idea that neurosurgery has repeatedly challenged. A recent study, published in the journal Medical Care — Research and Review, agrees with us that this simply is not […]
Neurosurgeons Warn IOM Committee about Looming Physician Shortages
Ralph G. Dacey, Jr., MD, President of the Society of Neurological Surgeons, testified today on behalf organized neurosurgery at an Institute of Medicine (IOM) committee hearing concerning the need to ensure an adequate neurosurgical workforce for the 21st Century. This hearing is one in a series that an IOM consensus committee is holding to evaluate the […]