Newswise — ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. (April 18, 2012) — The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) will commemorate National Neurosurgery Awareness Week (NNAW) April 28-May 4, 2013, in conjunction with its 81st Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans, which takes place April 27-May 1, 2013. This year, AANS is focusing on two issues of critical importance to the public — patient safety and concussion awareness. The theme for the 2013 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting is “Changing Our Culture to Advance Patient Safety,” as more than 3,200 heath-care professionals involved in the neurosurgical specialty converge to review, discuss and explore how neurosurgical practitioners can work together to improve patient safety and quality of care.
“Many of the presentations and programs at the 2013 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting will look closely at how we can improve our procedures and methods to the benefit of our patients’ safety. Neurosurgery is leading the charge to explore what can be done to minimize risk, improve outcomes and track those results to make ever greater strides in improving health care,” said AANS President Mitchel S. Berger, MD, FAANS, FACS. “The landscape of neurosurgical medicine, and health care overall, is rapidly evolving. Gathering together to discuss and practice new techniques and approaches, and review scientific findings, is critical. This meeting and its clinics, sessions, and discussions are firmly focused on that, as is our profession to that of raising the bar for patient safety. In addition, it’s also vital that we keep the importance of good communication with the public and those who entrust themselves to our care top of mind.”
As part of that approach, AANS is developing a patient safety awareness slideshow for its members and the public, highlighting the importance of this topic and the role neurosurgery is playing in leading the charge to improve patient safety today. That slideshow will be available later on this year in conjunction with Neurosurgery Outreach Month, which takes place in August.
Informing the public about concussion also remains a critical component of AANS members’ outreach to the community, with neurosurgeons taking a critical lead on this important issue. From the presence of AANS members on the National Football League’s Head, Neck and Spine Medical Committee, and the efforts of members conducting research about ways to improve equipment to minimize the risk of concussion and head injuries, to local member neurosurgeons reaching out to the community through concussion-awareness presentations, the AANS and its members are firmly committed to concussion education.
To help promote awareness about concussion and other related head-related injuries, AANS has teamed with other partners to develop a slideshow presentation that neurosurgeons can use as part of an educational presentation. These presentations allow neurosurgeons to explain to coaches, parents, park districts and others about the possible signs of concussion, what to do when a concussion occurs, and what types of action needs to be taken before an athlete may safely return to the field of play. AANS members have access at anytime to this presentation by logging into the MyAANS.org website and visiting the Resources area. For the public, the AANS has developed an extensive area of patient information available at http://www.aans.org/Patient Information.aspx, including updated conditions and treatment information on concussion, sports-related head injuries, and more.
Media Representatives: The 2013 AANS Annual Meeting Press Kit includes releases on highlighted scientific research, AANS officer and award winners, National Neurosurgery Awareness Week, and other relevant information about this year’s program. Those releases also will be posted under the Media area on the 2013 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting website (http://www.aans.org/Annual Meeting/2013/Main/Media.aspx). If you would have interest in a topic related to neurosurgery or would like to interview a neurosurgeon — either on-site or via telephone — during this year’s event, please contact John Iwanski, AANS Director of Member and Public Outreach, via the onsite press room at (504) 670-4910 or e-mail him at [email protected].
About National Neurosurgery Awareness Week and the 2013 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting: The AANS presents National Neurosurgery Awareness Week concurrently with the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting as a means to inform and educate the public about a variety of neurosurgical conditions. Past focuses have included neck injury, back pain and sports-related head injury/concussion. Attended by neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents, medical students, neuroscience nurses, clinical specialists, physician assistants, allied health professionals and other medical professionals, the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting is the largest gathering of neurosurgeons in the nation, with an emphasis on the field’s latest research and technological advances. A record-breaking 1,003 scientific abstracts were presented for review at the 2013 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting, and the scientific presentations given at this year’s event represent cutting-edge examples of the incredible developments taking place within the field of neurosurgery. Additional information about the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting and the Meeting Program can be found at http://www.aans.org/Annual Meeting/2013/Main/Home.aspx.
Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with nearly 8,300 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members of the AANS are certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Neurosurgery) of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, AC. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerves. For more information, visit www.AANS.org.
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