The AANS Neurosurgeon is the official socioeconomic publication of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), and features information and analysis for contemporary neurosurgical practice. It focuses on topics related to legislation, workforce issues and practice management as they affect the specialty of neurosurgery. The September 2015 issue of AANS Neurosurgeon explores the theme “Neurosurgery: From the Patient’s Perspective,” and focuses on patients, their families and the hardships they endure in the face of neurological conditions and injuries. The September issue, in part, offers first-hand accounts of what it’s like to recover from spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, brain cancer, subdural hematoma and other conditions. In some cases, the patients in these stories are neurosurgeons learning how to navigate their personal health journeys as both a patient and a physician; many of whom note how it changed their method of dealing with patients in their own practices.
Other articles in this issue examine the controversial methodology behind surgeon scorecards, the crucial steps involved in transfer-of-care during physician handoff, the impact on the patient and provider when delivering bad news and the complications involved in medical-billing procedures.
Highlights from this issue include:
- Photo Essay: One Couple’s Brain Tumor Journey
- Point: Patient Satisfaction Surveys: Measuring Patient Contentment with Health-care Service, Not Quality and Value of Neurosurgical Care
- Counterpoint: Patient Surveys are Good
- Missed Opportunities: Taking the Time to Listen to Our Patients
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
- Recovering from a Concussion: The Perspective of an NHL Team Doctor Who Sustained Three Head Injuries
- Me and My Big, Fat Subdural
Readers can further explore the September issue by weighing in on a normal pressure hydrocephalus case, analyzing the findings from a meningioma recurrence study, reading a book review regarding the impact of healthcare reform, getting the latest legislative updates from the “Washington Watch” column and reading about recent international neurosurgical fellowships.
