Oct 3 1999
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Oct 3 1999
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October 3, 1999 72nd ACOS Meeting Seattle, Washington
Minutes of the Concurrent Annual Business Meeting of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons, Neurosurgical Discipline and the American Organization of Neurological Surgeons
The annual business meeting of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons, Neurosurgical Discipline and the American Organization of Neurological Surgeons was called to order by its president, Tim Detamore, D.0. The Minutes from the 1999 meeting in Chicago, Illinois, were submitted and approved by the membership. I. Treasure’s Report. The treasure’s report was submitted by Dr. Dan E. Miulli. Dues were not paid by some. The amounts in the banking accounts were noted. The amounts were: Account #1, $1,316. Account #2, $2,840. Account #3, $13,401. There are 38 members listed. There are an additional 10 resident members listed. II. Correspondence. Dr. Detamore states that the correspondence is overwhelming. He received a letter from Guy Beaumont, Executive Director of the ACOS to evaluate the Neurosurgical Discipline member to the Coding and Reimbursement Advisory Panel. This has been Dr. McDougal. This panel evaluates the new codes being developed by HICFA for procedures and makes recommendations on their allowance. Dr. Detamore reviewed the list of all members to the advisory committee and noted that there has been very little, if any, activity from any of the members, not just from the neurosurgical representative. There was a great deal of discussion regarding the non-participation. Some members felt that the coding issues did not concern the neurosurgeons, others felt that there should be a great deal of concern for the neurosurgeons. It was decided that Dr. Steve Fletcher would assist Dr McDougal in reviewing the correspondence regarding coding, helping him to address these issues and reporting back to the neurosurgical discipline.
III. Future program chairman. Year 2000 meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, Dr. Kethi Kattner. Year 2001 meeting in Palm Desert, California, Dr. Steve Ham. Year 2002 meeting in Orlando, Florida, will contact Dr. Kreif. If Dr. Kreif is not available, Dr. Scott West volunteers to chair the meeting in Orlando, Florida. Year 2003 meeting in Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Robert Dixon. Year 2004 meeting site to be determined, most probable sites are San Diego and other areas in Southern California.
IV. AOBS Committee Report -- Dr. Jacobs. Dr. Jacobs states that Dr. Steven Eickert will be assuming the position of the AOBS representative from the Neurosurgical Discipline. After nine years of representation, the Discipline thanked Dr. Jacobs for his thoughtful involvement. Dr. Jacobs states that track 2 of board certification has been administered for the second time. Track 2 involves no clinical observation for the third portion of the exam, but instead the applicant has to submit charts and there will be an interview based on 10 selective charts that have been submitted. There will still be at least two examiners per applicant. Dr. Jacobs also brought up that there is an additional certification called CAQ’s, Certificate of Added Qualifications. The orthopaedic members are discussing whether to have CAQ’s in spine surgery. Dr. Jacobs and others asked a section to address the concerns and become involved, otherwise he believes that the orthopaedic surgeons will dictate to us and others the need for CAQ’s for certification in spine surgery.
V. Committee Reports/Board of Governors -- Dr. Kanoff. There was discussion at the ACOS that future program chairs have a minimum of five years of attending experience before being allowed to be the program chair. When you consider the group of general surgeons, it is appropriate, but when considering the size of the neurosurgical section, it may not be appropriate. It is felt by the ACOS Board of Governors that those that are in practice for less than five years cannot appreciate the sense of the way the section is heading. Other individuals state that since you get a great deal of points for fellowship, it limits those that can be fellows. The Board of Governors also recommended that a final program be submitted to the ACOS one year in advance. Dr. Kanoff stated that the Board of Governors suggested that this would help with the planning. He states that the Board of Governors feels that the exhibitors could then look at this program list to better determine if they want to support a section. The Board of Governors also stated that the neurosurgical section does not bring in enough funding for the overall program. There was a lively discussion on how that funding is being brought in arid how it is being distributed. It was noted that this year’s program is entirely funded by exhibitors. The money went straight to the Neurosurgical Discipline as opposed to going to the ACOS and then being funded to the Neurosurgical Discipline. If the money does first go to the ACOS, it does riot get funded to the individual disciplines. The Board of Governors has created a resident section. It is unclear whether each discipline will have a representative or rather that there will be one resident representative. If residents do not belong to the ACOS, there is a fee for reviewing their annual paper. Dr. Kanoff’s second term as our member of the Board of Governors is coming to the end, but he would like to be the Neurosurgical Discipline representative to the Board of Governors for a third term. This election will take place next year. It was felt by the Neurosurgical Discipline that the administrators of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons annual program does not address the needs of the neurosurgical section when bringing exhibitors to the program. Multiple members of the Neurosurgical Discipline have written letters to Carol Grant and others, as well as exhibitors asking them to donate time arid money to the annual clinical assembly. There has not been a great response. We will ask that the Board of Governors and organizers of the annual clinical assembly address these needs and make an effort to bring more neurosurgical exhibitors. Dr. Kanoff also brought up that Carol Grant will be leaving October 15. She is the organizer of the annual clinical assembly. It was also felt by the Neurosurgical Discipline that this year’s facilities were very bad. It did not provide any space for the individual disciplines and it detracted from the annual clinical assembly. Dr. Okulski brought up that Carol Grant was told about the accommodations, the accommodations are made years in advance and she provided the Neurosurgical Discipline with the best possible facilities available. It was motioned, seconded and passed that the secretary of the Neurosurgical Discipline write a letter to the individual exhibitors expressing our heartfelt thanks for their participation.There was a discussion regarding the Resident Evaluation Committee and Education Committee.
VI. Residents/Directors Report. Dr. Greg Mavian from Columbus reported that there were three residents, graduating two residents this year. They will probably be deficient one spot. Their volumes are excellent. They have a great deal of spine. Their hospital is undergoing merges and acquisitions. They would like to improve the amount of neuro trauma and aneurysms. Dr. Kanoff states that his residency program is active. They perform over a 1000 cases annually. He has one resident that will be graduating in each the next four years. His program is on the verge of going bankrupt. Dr. Detamore volunteered the services of the Neurosurgical Discipline to assist in the economic well-being of Dr. Kanoff’s program. There were questions regarding Dr. Siddiqui’s program at the University of California Irvine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, San Bernadine County Medical Center. Dr. Siddiqui is looking into establishing a neurosurgical residency program at that facility. No further residency or fellowship reports were available. Dr. Detamore will contact the residency program directors to have them file a written report. VII. Old Business.
A. There is a spinal surgery section of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons. This is comprised of mostly orthopedic members and only three neurosurgical members. There was a call to try to get more neurosurgeons involved in the spinal surgery section. The orthopedic surgeons would like the neurosurgeons to participate. Applications are available for those interested in joining. Reformatted applications will be available in two weeks. Once again, there was a great deal of political discussion regarding the pros and cons of the neurosurgeons belonging to a subsection of the American Orthopedic Academy of Osteopathy. To be a member of the spinal surgery section, you do not have to belong to the AOAO. Some members felt that this would add support to a subsection of spinal surgery and will lead to support of the orthopedic surgeon performing spinal surgery. Other members felt that we need to have representation on this committee so that policies and procedures are not developed without neurosurgical involvement. It was reiterated with a unanimous consent that neurologic surgeons are certified in spine surgery. They undergo spinal training throughout the residency program. It is an integral part of the neurosurgical training. They do not need additional spine certification. On the other hand, orthopedic surgeons are not trained as part of their residency program, but require additional fellowships in order to be certified. The section does not want to create a venue tor orthopedic surgeons to initiate their policies and procedures over the objection of the neurosurgeons.
The orthopods are going to administer a CAQ for the spinal section of orthopaedic doctors. They wish neurosurgical input to have a well-comprehensive exam.
It is also being publicized by the orthopaedic spine session that their members are certified. They may use this device in negotiating with HMO’s. The neurosurgical section has to reinforce that neurosurgeons are spine certified to the 11140’s. Therefore, it may be beneficial to have executive committee membership in the spine section being proposed by the AOAO. Although the policies that are being developed through the spine section may not affect the current practice of neurosurgery, it may affect those that come after us. The Neurosurgical Discipline requested that Dr. Rob Dixon report to the Neurosurgical Discipline on a yearly and as-needed basis concerning the progress, policies and procedures of the AOAO spine section. Dr. Dixon is in the running for the program director of the spine section in 2002.
Dr. Eickert made a motion that the Neurosurgical Discipline should respond to the spinal surgical section saying that, “Spine surgery is an integral part of our residencies and while we do recognize the CAQ’s, we do not believe that it appropriate for neurosurgeons to take, since spine surgery is innate in the training and practice of neurosurgery,” and that this statement should be taken to the ACOS, AOA and any other outside organization for which it may pertain. There was discussion regarding the proactive motion. There were no further motions.
B. Neurosurgical Discipline Banner.
It was believed that the ACOS Neurosurgical Discipline previously had a banner. The banner has not been found in the last couple of years. Dr. Kanoff investigated and was told that the banner is available. However, the staff of the ACOS could not produce the banner. It was then decided that the secretary/treasurer should make the banner. The banner will be adapted for the American Organization of Neurological Surgeons. The bottom ribbon will be Velcroed so that the name can be changed from ACOS-NSD to AONS. It was further discussed the membership into the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies. Dr. Miulli read a letter from the WFNS that states that the president and the secretary of the WFNS see no objections to the AONS seeking full membership of the WPNS. The WPNS needs a list of names and addresses of all of members and the president. They also need a letter of support from the continental organization, which is the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Dr. Miulli will send this letter in. There was discussion regarding the name containing the word osteopathic. The American Organization of Neurologic Surgeons has both osteopathic and allopathic members. One of the reasons for the development of the AONS was to allow members such as Dr. Robert Decker, Dr. Saddiqui and others to join and attend both business meetings and other functions since the ACOS-NSD meetings will be held in conjunction with the AONS.
VIII. Neurosurgical Discipline Website. There is an AOBS website at www.AOBS.org. Dr. Detamore and other members wish to develop a Neurosurgical Discipline website. This would be used for a communication between members and can be developed for public access as well. Dr. Detamore, Dr. King and Dr. Miulli, as well as other members will take an active role in developing the ACOS-NSD/AONS website. The website should contain the Minutes of the meetings, membership lists, the lists will be different for private and public access. This will allow the streamlining of procedures from the section. Previously, the section has conducted business on a yearly basis. Using the website will allow continuous updating of information, policies and procedures from the section. The joint membership of the ACOS-NSD and AONS motioned and approved the creation of a website. The ACOS-NSD and AONS will fund the cost of the website. Dr. Detamore will notify all members when the website is running. Dr. King asked that all members supply their e-mail address. Included in the website will be the pictorial directory. Pictures were taken during the annual clinical assembly in Seattle. For those members that were not present, members can submit pictures digitally to be included on the website. There was discussion regarding the pictures that will be posted if individuals do not submit their own. There was a motion for adjournment, seconded and the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting is set to reconvene in Boston in the year 2000. Respectively submit Dan Miulli, D.O., F.A.C.O.S. Secretary/Treasurer, Neurosurgical Discipline Secretary/Treasurer, American Organization of Neurological Surgeons |