Newswise — The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is proud to present Volume 24, Number 3 of AANS Neurosurgeon. As the official socioeconomic publication of the AANS, AANS Neurosurgeon offers news and insights written by neurosurgeons, for neurosurgeons. Published on a quarterly basis, each issue centers on a specific theme. The theme for the September 2015 issue is “Neurosurgery: From the Patient’s Perspective,” which made its debut on Sept. 8, 2015, in conjunction with a newly redesigned website. The September 2015 issue, in part, focuses on patients, their families and the hardships they endure in the face of neurological conditions and injuries.

The issue delves into various first-hand accounts of recovery 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 physician; many of whom note how it changed their method of treating patients in their own practices. Other articles in this issue are written by non-physician patients who discuss their experiences with neurological illness, injury and recovery; all of whom had to learn to cope with the ups and downs of life post-injury and illness.

As Michael Schulder, MD, FAANS, editor of AANS Neurosurgeon and professor and vice-chairman of the department of neurosurgery at the Hofstra North Shore LIJ School of Medicine in New York explained in his editorial column, “Several years ago, AANS Neurosurgeon featured an issue focused on neurosurgeons as patients. The September 2015 issue is different in its focus on patients and families, including those who have been through some of the hardest things imaginable ... We hope this will help neurosurgical readers to remain aware and supportive of their patients’ needs, and to not gloss over the persistent problems that may seem minor in comparison to what could have been. And other readers should be reassured that when neurosurgeons say, ‘You look great,’ we mean it to be an encouraging and optimistic message towards complete recovery.”

Although the content has a wide appeal to both neurosurgeons and patients alike, other articles in the September 2015 issue focus on neurosurgical topics such as the controversial methodology behind surgeon scorecards, the crucial steps involved in transfer-of-care during physician handoff, the impact of the patient and provider when delivering bad news and the complications involved in medical billing procedures.

Readers can further explore the magazine by weighing in on a medical survey and learning about the results from a peer-reviewed brain cancer study.

To read the September 2015 issue of AANS Neurosurgeon, click here.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 9,000 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. Fellows of the AANS are board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, A.C. Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the spinal column, spinal cord, brain, nervous system and peripheral nerves.

For more information, visit www.AANS.org.

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