To keep our membership informed of the activities and health of the association, we are posting our most recent collection of NERVES committee reports. In this issue you will find the Communications Committee Report, the Education Committee Report, the Membership Committee Report, the Survey Committee Report, and the Washington Update.
By Jon Nguyen, Secretary, Communications Committee Chair
Help us welcome our new members to NERVES! The Regional Directors representing the Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, and North/Midwest regions would like to personally welcome you to our great professional organization. We are excited you have decided to join us and look forward to getting to know you!
Get to know Anthony Conrad, MS, PA-C, MBA, of Northwell Health, Staten Island University Hospital. Anthony is one of our new NERVES members in the Northeast region.
A native of Staten Island, Anthony Conrad serves as the Clinical Director for the Department of Neurosurgery, Northwell Health, Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH). Anthony started his career as a Physician Assistant and has worked exclusively in neurosurgery in both private practice and employed groups throughout the NYC area. Ambitious to continue his impact in healthcare and grow, Anthony made the transition to leadership where he has been in his role for two and half years but is no stranger to SIUH, having started his career there as a PA student. In his role, Anthony is the administrative lead for the Department and partners with Ronit Gilad, MD, at SIUH, where his responsibilities include all strategic, operational and quality oversight of the clinical services at SIUH. One of Anthony’s favorite parts of his job is the versatility it allows. From being in the operating room, at the bedside, meeting with industry partners, or key stakeholders on a process improvement project or new program roll out, there is a constant challenge and opportunity to grow.
Thank you for joining us on March 27th for the NERVES 2024 Coding Updates webinar and many thanks to The Coding Network’s Jeremy Clark for his presentation. If you would like to rewatch this webinar, or if you weren’t able to join us, please see the link and passcode below with the presentation slides attached.
Webinar Recording |
Webinar Handouts |
The NERVES Nominating Committee would like to submit the following ballot of nominees for your consideration and support. Final voting by the membership will be during our Annual Business meeting set for Thursday, May 2nd at the Loews Chicago Hotel.
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President / CSNS Liaison |
Help us welcome our new members to NERVES! The Regional Directors representing the Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, and North/Midwest regions would like to personally welcome you to our great professional organization. We are excited you have decided to join us and look forward to getting to know you!
During the 2023 NERVES Annual Meeting in San Diego, NERVES Secretary Antoine Curtis took time to interview Brian Asmussen, MBA, FACHE, Senior Director, Global UNiD Lab & Customer Engagement | intelligent Data Solutions (iDS), of Medtronic.
During their brief conversation, Antoine asks Brian about his history in neurosurgery and NERVES, pulls out a few fun facts and ask Brian to discuss the value of being a NERVES Annual Partner. Click on the thumbnail below to watch Brian's video profile.
To keep our membership informed of the activities and health of the association, we are posting our most recent collection of NERVES committee reports. In this issue you will find the CSNS Committee Report, the Education Committee Report, the Membership Committee Report, the Survey Committee Report, and the Washington Liaison Report.
By Derek Cantrell, CSNS Liaison
During the 2023 NERVES Annual Meeting in San Diego, NERVES Secretary Antoine Curtis took time to interview Immediate Past President Donna Bailer, JD, LLM. Donna is the Executive Administrator - Department of Neurosurgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham (“UAB”) School of Medicine.
During their brief conversation, Antoine asks Donna about her history in the organization, the value of being a member of NERVES and her advice for current and future neurosurgery practice leaders. Click on the thumbnail below to watch Donna's video profile.
By Nicola Hawkinson, DNP, RN, RNFA, CPC
Accurate Current Procedural Terminology® (CPT) coding is not only essential for financial stability but also directly impacts patient care. Healthcare systems face significant financial losses due to coding errors. According to recent data, hospitals across the country lose approximately $262 billion per year due to denied claims from insurers, leading to cash-flow issues and recovery costs. Additionally, an estimated 9% of hospital charges are denied annually, putting nearly $5 million per hospital at risk.
By Barton Associates
Every day across the United States, travel healthcare clinicians and locum tenens providers take temporary assignments in hospitals and other facilities to bridge staffing gaps and ensure continuity of patient care. Due to the nomadic nature of their work, these healthcare professionals offer a unique perspective on the industry than those who work traditional, permanent jobs at health facilities.
Dear NERVES Members,
I hope all is well with you. It is sunny and 64 degrees today in Indianapolis. Not bad for March! Let’s hope spring is truly here and this isn’t just a tease. Along with spring flowers and a better mood overall - it is time for our Annual Meeting!
By Avant-garde Health
As inflation persists and interest rates and labor costs continue to rise, US hospitals face increasing financial challenges. Meanwhile, reimbursement levels from public and private payers have yet to catch up with inflation, and payment delays and denials are growing, putting additional pressure on hospital revenue. As a consequence, some hospitals have been hit with credit downgrades or resorted to staff layoffs to stay afloat. According to the latest Kaufman Hall’s National Hospital Flash Report on a sample of 900 US hospitals, operating margins showed a sign of improvement in the last several months but they were sitting at “razor-thin, near-zero levels, putting hospitals in a vulnerable position should a recession or new public health emergency materialize.”
Help us welcome our new members to NERVES! The Regional Directors representing the Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, and North/Midwest regions would like to personally welcome you to our great professional organization. We are excited you have decided to join us and look forward to getting to know you!
At NERVES conferences, we have consistently found a unique convergence of thought leadership, innovation, and collaboration within the neurosurgical community. This environment not only allows us to showcase our expertise but also fosters connections with like-minded professionals. These connections, forged through insightful discussions and collaborative endeavors, have been instrumental in expanding our network and reinforcing our position as a trusted partner in neurosurgery recruitment.
Partnering with NERVES aligns seamlessly with SpineSearch's mission to stay at the forefront of industry trends. The conferences provide us with unparalleled access to the latest advancements in neurosurgery and spine care, enabling us to refine our recruitment services to meet the evolving needs of healthcare organizations. Moreover, the emphasis on collaboration at NERVES aligns with our commitment to fostering meaningful connections that drive success for both job seekers and healthcare institutions.
In summary, our experiences with NERVES have been both enriching and instrumental in advancing SpineSearch's role in the neurosurgical community. We believe that deeper collaboration with NERVES will not only allow us to contribute to the growth and success of healthcare organizations but will also empower us to provide unparalleled support to neurosurgical professionals seeking new opportunities.
To keep our membership informed of the activities and health of the association, we are posting our most recent collection of NERVES committee reports. In this issue you will find the Advisory Committee Report, the Annual Meeting Committee Report, the Communications Committee Report, the CSNS Committee Report, the Membership Committee Report, and the Survey Committee Report.
By Mary Amann, Advisory Committee Chair
By Nicola Hawkinson, DNP, RN, RNFA , founder and CEO of SpineSearch, LLC
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are probably aware that there is a shortage of medical professionals across the United States. In particular, a shortage of doctors and nurses has been exacerbated by practitioners leaving the healthcare industry as a result of challenges faced during the pandemic.
Dear NERVES Members,
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. Currently, it is a dreary 35 degrees and raining in Indianapolis, so I am playing Charlie Brown Christmas for a little holiday pick me up!
Dear NERVES Members,
Greetings from Indianapolis! I am John Moeller and I started my term as NERVES President in April after our Annual Meeting. Luckly, I have had the pleasure of meeting many of you during my nearly 20 years of NERVES membership, but for those I have not met - I hope to meet you this next year! Quick background - I spent 18 years as the COO of Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, and the last 3.5 years as the VP of Neuroscience for Ascension St Vincent Indiana. I have been married to Mary Jeanine ‘MJ’ for 20 years, and we have a 17 year old son, Peter, and a 13 year old daughter, Lucy. We have two golden retrievers, Ernie (7 yrs) and Birdy (12 weeks!).
Help us welcome our new members to NERVES! The Regional Directors representing the North/Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest Regions would like to personally welcome you to our great professional organization. We are excited you have decided to join us and look forward to getting to know you!
