2023 February AANnews

ANNUAL MEETING HUBS FOSTER COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

Through Unique Delivery Methods

The Annual Meeting’s former Experiential Learning Areas have been reimagined as Hubs for the 2023 Annual Meeting. These spaces will employ unique and interactive education delivery methods and networking opportunities to foster collaborative learning around focused content not found in a traditional classroom. This year’s Hubs include Academic, Innovation, Leadership University, Practice and Policy, Trainee and Educator, Research, Wellness, and the always popular HeadTalks.

Continued on page 6 ›

Boston

& Virtual

FDA Approves Lecanemab for Alzheimer's Disease

The Four Horsemen and the Lobotomist

This is the second in a series of articles marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the AAN.

Abe gathered around him a number of disciples. Russ DeJong, Ady Sahs, and I were proud to be associated with him in these ventures. It was thus we became known as the Four Horsemen.

—Francis M. Forster, MD, FAAN

Continued on page 10 ›

Forster

Among the people who helped A.B. Baker launch the AAN, he relied most on Adolph “Ady” L. Sahs, MD, FAAN; Francis M.

The Mission of the AAN is to promote the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care and enhance member career satisfaction.

The Vision of the AAN is to be indispensable to our members.

Contact Information

American Academy of Neurology 201 Chicago Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55415

Phone: (800) 879-1960 (toll free) (612) 928-6000 (international) Email: memberservices@ aan.com Website: AAN.com

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Phone: (978) 578-4514

Email: Michael.Obrien @ wolterskluwer.com

February Highlights

11

Be Aware of Health IT Certification Criteria, New Interoperability Standards

The 21st Century Cures Act Health IT Certification requirements for electronic health record (EHR) vendors are officially in effect. These health IT requirements will help neurologists share medical records with their patients and other medical practices.

12

Popular Neurology Chair Summit Renamed to Honor Past AAN President Sacco

The Neurology Department Chair and Business Administrator Summit, held in Chicago on December 11 and 12, 2022, is now the Ralph L. Sacco Neurology Chair Summit in honor of the beloved past AAN president.

13 Eight Training Programs Achieve UCNS Accreditation

Eight fellowship training programs recently attained accreditation through the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties. Programs attaining UCNS accreditation status offer the core curriculum established by the subspecialty and meet required quality standards established by the UCNS.

AAN Chief Executive Officer: Mary E. Post, MBA, CAE

Editor-in-Chief: Melissa W. Ko, MD, MBA, CPE, FAAN

Managing Editor: Angela M. Babb, MS, CAE, APR

Editor: Tim Streeter

Writers: Ryan Knoke and Sarah Parsons

Designer: Siu Lee

Email: aannews@ aan.com

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News Briefs

Clinical Trials Webinar

The AAN will host a free webinar on conducting clinical research outside traditional academic settings, including private practice, affiliated hospitals, and rural areas. “Inviting Neurologists In: Broadening Who Conducts and Participates in Clinical Trials” will feature Clinical Research Subcommittee Chair H.E. Hinson, MD, MCR, FAAN; Past President James C. Stevens, MD, FAAN; Board member James N. Goldenberg, MD, FAAN; and Alissa Thomas, MD, on February 8, at 4:00 p.m. CT. Please share and encourage others to register at AAN.com/ClinicalTrialsWebinar 

AAN Membership Builds Lasting Personal Friendships

When I first joined the AAN as a resident, I could not have imagined that an organization would foster such close and treasured friendships as those I have made over the years. During lockdown in New York and after, those relationships persevered on FaceTime and Zoom and helped me through my isolation. Over the past couple of years of pandemic, other bonds helped me endure my father’s illness. I will never forget the friend who facilitated my parents’ COVID vaccines—and drove them to their appointments—to my profound relief, or the time another friend helped move mountains, allowing my mother to stay overnight at the hospital, so my father wouldn’t be frightened. Yet a third friend took a detour to my hometown emergency room mid-road trip, when he heard my dad was there, and I was hours away. All three were members of the AAN whom I have known for decades; our friendships have blossomed beyond AAN walls, part of a treasured group I call my AAN family.

My experience is not unique, but I believe this professional society is. I have heard countless stories from AAN members who have found their closest friends and a strong community from working together on Academy initiatives. Here below are examples of other enduring connections forged at the American Academy of Neurology.

David M. Greer, MD, FAAN

My father, Melvin Greer, had me join the AAN in 1988 (I was only 22 years old at the time!). Little did I know that the AAN would be my academic home for many years to come. Most recently my work with the Academic Neurology Committee has brought me one of the greatest friendships (and mentorships) of all with Dr. Ralph Sacco. Together, we’ve helped prioritize the needs of academic neurology departments, and I’ve benefitted from close friendships with department leaders across the US, including Bay Leslie-Mazwi, Brenda Banwell, and Andy Josephson, just to name a few!

Jennifer L. Hopp, MD, FAAN, FAES

I was hesitant to sign up for an AAN leadership course because I was doing my best to keep control of my time and felt constantly “aggressively overscheduled.” It turned out that the Transforming Leaders Program not only enriched my career with professional coaching and development of new skills, but also quite unexpectedly led to friendships I’m certain I would have never forged in my usual travels in neurology. We reminisce and check in with group texts, invite each other to visit and speak in our departments and are already planning to have a reunion at the 2023 Annual Meeting.

Yasmin Khakoo, MD, FAAN, FAAP

As a child neurologist and ’19 alumna of the AAN Women Leading in Neurology, I am grateful for new friendships. Executive coach Joanne Smikle, who galvanized our 12-woman cohort, and I continue to meet for a meal or a chat. The WLN ‘19 chat group (“The League of Twelve”), checks in with each other on holidays and prior to conferences to create time to meet. Though we use work issues as the excuse to check in, Sarah Hon and I talk travel. Ariane Soldatos and I speak about Pediatric Neurology and our families. Ann Tilton, my official WLN sponsor, was also my son’s “other Mom” while he attended Tulane. And Josh Budhu, initially a Twitter and AAN friend, is now a colleague at Memorial Sloan Kettering

Neil A. Busis, MD, FAAN

The Academy gives us the opportunity to befriend colleagues with similar interests who we would not have met otherwise. Laura Powers, her husband, and others love history. We went on some very nice excursions in our free time during MEM meetings. Lisa Shulman and I explored exquisite sushi at all destinations. Bruce Cohen and I have become close friends. I had a wonderful opportunity to visit him at his workplace and home. There are others, including staff, as well.

Greer

Avitzur

Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN | President, AAN oavitzur@aan.com | @OrlyA on Twitter

Hopp

Khakoo

Thabele M. Leslie-Mazwi, MD

As the largest community of neurologists in the world, the AAN offers connections of unparalleled range. For me, this means friends from all areas and stages of neurology. Because of the breadth of membership in the AAN, I typically meet colleagues from outside of my own specialty. But the AAN also offers a breadth of different environments for connections. I have made friends from encounters at the Annual and Fall meetings, in AAN committees, in the leadership programs and now (in my role as a department chair) in the chairs’ group, who recently convened at the Ralph L. Sacco Neurology Chair Summit. Establishing such connections between members is a crucial function of the Academy, and one I greatly value.

James C. Stevens, MD, FAAN

I have enjoyed the many opportunities provided during my three decades of working with the AAN. The true “gold” has been the myriad of people I have met along the way and the valued friendships that have resulted. There are too many to recount in my brief contribution to this column, but one that has had meaning to me has been with Dr. Jonathan Hosey. They say that the truest friend is the person who is there in your most challenging moments, willing to lend a hand or an ear when no one else is around. Jonathan has been there for me on more than one such occasion and I will forever be grateful to the AAN as the conduit that has allowed our paths to cross.

Renee M. Pazdan, MD, FAAN

I was part of the inaugural Women Leading in Neurology Leadership Program through the AAN. There I found my “tribe,” a group of intelligent, creative, and inspirational women who challenge themselves and each other to make this world a better place. With their support, I’ve leaped personally and professionally into uncharted waters and this amazing group of women neurologists serve as the proverbial “wind beneath my wings.”

Joohi Jimenez-Shahed, MD

I was fortunate to be selected for the inaugural Women Leading in Neurology program. Alongside the amazing personal journey I took as part of this program, I met 10 other highly accomplished and motivated women at similar career stages―each from varying backgrounds from across the country and dealing with a variety of personal and professional challenges. Our friendship was tentative at first, as we all got to know each other and tried to understand how to become our own brand of authentic leaders, but we have become the fastest of friends, holding reunions each year at the AAN Annual Meeting, traveling together, sharing our struggles and successes, and always supporting each other. I can always count on these fabulous ladies for strength and encouragement, no matter what the circumstance.

Amy Hessler, DO, FAAN

My AAN membership is a vital part of my professional life. The friendship groups that I have forged through the AAN include my classmates as part of the inaugural Women Leading in Neurology class (2017–2018) who have become confidants and good friends in both professional and personal challenges. During COVID, as a neurology clerkship director, the AAN educators particularly through Synapse became invaluable as we shared resources in struggling to educate our students with limited access to patients.

I’m very proud to promote women in neurology and as one of the co-founders of Women Neurologists Group and a member of the AAN’s Sections and Subspecialty Subcommittee, I’ve encouraged many women to become leaders within the AAN. This has been fun to collaborate from a social media group to build up women leaders within the Academy.

I’m proud that the AAN is my primary national organization. 

Leslie-Mazwi

Stevens

Pazdan

Jimenez-Shahed

Hessler

Annual Meeting Hubs Foster Collaborative Learning

Hubs Spotlight Innovation Hub

Discover innovative ways to think about and care for your patients, your practice, and the future of neurology. If you’re a forward-thinker intrigued by technology and how you can continue to adapt to our changing world, then don’t miss your chance to:

ƒ Get advice on business development, including creating business plans, financial modeling, trademark/copyright issues, failures, and successes from fellow members who have found career and personal success

ƒ Learn about the neurology of video games

ƒ Interact with AR/VR technology

ƒ Take part in paint and wine sessions

ƒ Watch virtual drawing demonstrations

ƒ Attend the Brainstorm Competition where contestants pitch their innovative ideas on how to improve health care systems to a panel of judges for a chance to win the $1,500 grand prize and $1,000 runner-up prize

ƒ Snap a picture at the “Cheers”themed selfie area

ƒ Collaborate with colleagues to create a brain-themed Spotify playlist

Leadership University

Expand your neurology leadership development and insights into different leadership styles through a variety of networking events, social gatherings, small-group talks, interactive

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activities, panel discussions, and stage presentations. Learn about the AAN's Leadership Development programs— and which may be the right fit for you—and gain skills to use at any point in your leadership journey. And receive professional development coaching in the Coaching Corner. Look for programs on: ƒ Managing Up and Down ƒ Inclusive Communication ƒ

Integrating Well-being and Emotional Intelligence ƒ Knowing Who You Are and What You Want ƒ Self-Promotion

Learn more about 2023 Annual Meeting Hubs at AAN.com/AMHubs 

“The Innovation Hub is where science fiction begins to crystallize into science fact. It's where we, as neurologists, consider the brain and nervous system to be the final frontier. To explore strange new technologies, and new practice permutations. To boldly go where no medical specialty has gone before.”

—José Posas, MD, FAAN, Innovation Hub Work Group Chair

Annual Meeting to Offer Spanish-language Curriculum

The Annual Meeting continues to expand programming and networking opportunities for Spanish speaking attendees. The 2023 meeting will offer six courses presented entirely in Spanish—including two new topics not included in previous meetings.

Course highlights:

ƒ Dementia

Ž The course will cover clinical diagnosis, neuroimaging, neuropathology, biomarkers and genetics, and a discussion of treatments and therapies.

ƒ

and chronic migraine, cluster headaches, clinical pearls, and treatment options.

Infections in CNS

ƒ

Headache

Ž Learn about the pathophysiology of migraine and trigeminal autonomic headaches (TAC), episodic

Ž Explore what’s new with CNS infections, emerging and re-emerging infections, challenges and concepts in infection management, and new immunological and molecular techniques in the diagnosis of CNS infections.

Other courses include: ƒ Neuroimaging ƒ Neuroimmunology ƒ Neurocritical Care

In addition, the meeting will offer a number of Spanish-language networking opportunities throughout the week. Visit AAN.com/AMSpanish to learn more and for updates as they become available. 

Industry Therapeutic Updates Highlight Pipeline Progress, Updates

Among the variety of Annual Meeting learning opportunities designed to arm attendees with the knowledge and tools to improve patient care are Industry Therapeutic Updates (ITUs). These popular sessions have been a mainstay of the Annual Meeting for many years, offering a unique chance for the Academy’s valued industry partners to highlight progress and updates within their respective pipelines and current therapies for patients with neurologic disease. The 2023 Annual Meeting will offer changes for how attendees can view this important content.

ƒ

Lunchtime ITU Slots Added

In addition to being able to attend evening ITUs at the nearby Omni, Westin, and Aloft hotels on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday beginning at 6:00 p.m., 2023 Annual Meeting attendees will now be able to catch ITU sessions over the lunch hour in the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center on these same days, but from 11:45 a.m–12:45 p.m. The additional time slots will allow meeting attendees to more easily view multiple ITUs throughout the week.

ƒ Emerging Technologies Presentation Stage

Attendees will have additional opportunities to learn about emerging technologies and therapies in the field during these interactive short-form presentations at the new Emerging Technologies Presentation Stage located inside the Exhibit Hall.

ƒ Livestreaming in the Virtual Platform Select ITUs will be livestreamed in the virtual Annual Meeting platform during their regularly scheduled times only. They will not be available on demand after the live session, so attendees are encouraged to connect with ITU hosting organizations for further details on any content they may have missed.

How to Find ITUs and Emerging Technologies Presentations

To learn more about this year’s ITU and Emerging Technologies lineup:

ƒ Visit the Annual Meeting Program search on AAN.com/AM where sessions are clearly delineated as being industry related and include the hosting company’s name ƒ Once on-site at the meeting, use the AAN Conferences mobile app to quickly search schedules

ƒ Connect with hosting companies prior to the meeting or on-site in their exhibit space 

ITUs Coming to AAN.com

Are you looking for updates from industry outside of the AAN conference schedule? Starting in 2023, AAN members will have access to view timely Industry Therapeutic Updates (ITUs) from industry partners in the AAN.com Online Learning Center. These 90-minute updates include exciting new indications, emerging therapies, timely pipeline updates, and more. Look for updates on future ITU schedules on AAN.com 

The Four Horsemen and the Lobotomist continued from cover

Forster, MD, FAAN; and Russell DeJong, MD, FAAN. With Baker at the helm, they were known collectively as “the Four Horsemen,” a nickname derived from “the Four Horsemen of the Notre Dame”— the legendary backfield for the 1922 champion football team. “We were really an unusual combination,” Forster said. “Abe was of a big city practicing Jewish family of the merchant class. Ady Sahs was from a small town in western Iowa and a Congregationalist. Russ was of Michigan Dutch derivation. His family included distinguished state Supreme Court judges. I was from a blue collar, Roman Catholic background on the edge of Cincinnati but had trained and remained teaching in the East. The differences in our backgrounds gave us an ecumenical approach to many problems.”

Adolph L. Sahs, MD, FAAN (1906–1986)

“I did my residency under Dr. Sahs and he was a great teacher. He was popular as a lecturer and at the bedside. He had an intuitive feel for patients and their problems. He took their history by typing as the patient was in the office. He had a quiet sense of humor, and it was rare for him to lose his temper. In his youth, he was a very good baseball player and played in college. He was an excellent ham radio operator. Along with helping establish the AAN and serving as its president, he also was president of the American Neurological Association and of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. I thought he was the best clinical neurologist I ever saw, and he was a humble man.”

Robert J. Joynt, MD, FAAN, AAN President 1977–1979

Russell N. DeJong, MD, FAAN (1907–1990)

“Dr. DeJong was a steady, tireless worker. I suspect he liked editorial duties better than almost anything except perhaps working on The Neurologic Examination, which came from the same typewriter. He was an occasional gardener and historian of neurology with an excellent memory for historical facts. I never knew him to take a vacation in the first 10 years of our association, nor did he miss a day for illness. He was kind, thoughtful, and a gentleman. He was quiet and shy. One day Dr. DeJong showed up on the wards at Queen Square in his white jacket, ready to do a clerk’s duties. At the time, he was well known as the editor of Neurology. He had signed up for a clerkship like any American resident and no one there knew he was coming, to their embarrassment. Although he seldom told jokes, he had an impish sense of humor and was a willing participant in the occasional session of fun and gossip at meetings.”

—Robert D. Currier, MD, FAAN

Francis M. Forster, MD, FAAN (1912–2006)

“Frank Forster taught and practiced neurology in an era when none of our current sophisticated neuroimaging techniques existed, an era in which an

extensive patient history and a careful neurologic examination were the most valuable diagnostic modalities. Both at the bedside and in the clinic, he always emphasized their importance and instilled this into all his students and residents. He loved his residents and believed that training and mentoring them were among his greatest accomplishments. Dr. Forster’s charismatic personality made neurology exciting and dynamic for those who worked with him, as I did as a resident from 1960 to 1963. Making rounds with him was always an exciting adventure. He was a charming and captivating storyteller who liked nothing better than to go into great detail on any subject. This prompted his beloved wife, Helen, to comment, ‘Ask Frank the time of day and he will tell you how to build a watch.’”

—Ludwig Gutmann, MD, FAAN

Abraham B. Baker, MD, FAAN (1908–1988)

“His genius can be fully appreciated only by the thousands of former students who sat riveted to their seats on any given Saturday morning while he established in his inimical style that ‘There could only be one diagnosis,’ demonstrated a variety of gait disturbances, or, perhaps most memorable of all, invited them to ‘Tell me the first sentence of the history and we will begin to think about this case together.’

"His teaching style was unique and effective; his commitment to teaching was awesome. I once came upon him in his office late on a Friday night, preparing a medical student lecture for Saturday morning on a topic he must have lectured about hundreds of times in his teaching career. When I commented to that effect and suggested he quit for the night, Dr. Baker answered, ‘My medical students deserve my best effort.’ Those few simple words summarized the lifelong philosophy of a dedicated and inspiring teacher.”

—Milton Ettinger, MD, FAAN

Madge and Russell N. DeJong, MD, FAAN, at the 1955 Annual Meeting.

Alice and Adolph L. Sahs, MD, FAAN, at the 1955 Annual Meeting.

At the University of Minnesota during the winter of 1948, Baker and Joe R. Brown, MD, FAAN, drew up organizational papers for the new organization. Brown, the AAN’s first secretary-treasurer, later recalled, “Abe Baker found a copy of a dental association constitution. We sat in his office over a few days’ time, copied large parts of this constitution with modifications to fit the principles of the Academy, and distributed the resulting document to the 52 original fellows for ratification.” The American Academy of Neurology was incorporated in the state of Minnesota on March 13, 1948.

Baker invited leading neurologists to Chicago for an organizational summit in June 1948 that coincided with the annual meeting of the American Medical Association at the Stevens Hotel. Some 70 or so neurologists attended. According to Brown, it quickly bogged down into a three-hour linguistic quagmire.

“The first item of business was the presentation of the constitution and bylaws. This stirred extensive responses in the group, not to the principles involved but to the wordings used. Almost every neurologist present seemed to have an opinion as to how each phrase should be worded and where each punctuation mark should be placed. The discussion went on almost unendingly until it became necessary to stop it. This was accomplished by pointing out that the constitution had already been accepted and that any recommendations for change would have to be referred to a committee on constitution and bylaws.” And then it got worse.

“The final item of business for the day was the election of officers,” Brown

continued. “It was planned to have one organizational year with a president [Baker], vice president [Pearce Bailey], and secretary-treasurer [Brown], followed by a regular two-year term for the officers. For this reason, the nominating committee did not propose a candidate for president elect, a failure that soon demonstrated our naivete. After the slate of three officers was presented, one member of the audience noted that no one had been named for the office of president elect. He jumped up and nominated Walter Freeman for the office. Then someone else jumped up and moved that the nominations be closed.”

Dr. Walter J. Freeman, a prominent Washington, DC, neurologist, had played no role in forming the association. He was a controversial figure known for his zealous performances of lobotomies. Freeman was elected to succeed Baker in 1949 and his apparent coup provoked talk of disbanding the new Academy and starting over.

As Brown related, “Dr. Freeman was known as a very influential and strong-willed person. His becoming President elect was looked on by the organizers of the Academy as a real threat to the future of the organization. After the meeting and the election were over, there was a discussion about what could be done. One suggestion made was that everyone resign and start a new organization. On returning home, however, I reviewed the records and found out that Dr. Freeman not only was not a fellow but also had not joined the Academy and had not paid his dues. Consequently, he was not eligible to be an officer. It became my task to write him of this fact. He returned a letter graciously withdrawing his name. He attended future meetings of the Academy and always was friendly during that time.”

Through a mail vote of the membership, Baker secured his full term as president and served in this role until 1951. He continued to be actively involved with the AAN for the rest of his career, particularly in guiding special courses for the Annual Meetings into the 1960s. Forster and Sahs later served as president. DeJong became the founding editor-in-chief of the journal Neurology®, which began publication in 1951; it was a position he held for 26 years.

In 1959, looking back to that tumultuous meeting, Baker wrote, “Only three people realize that the Academy almost collapsed shortly after it was formed. These three are Dr. Joe Brown, Dr. [Frederick] Lewey, and myself, and Dr. Lewey has passed away. If it hadn’t been for Dr. Lewey’s support I’m afraid I wouldn’t have had the courage to write Dr. Freeman, who was very strong in the field at that time. You can rest assured that all plans for the Academy were carefully considered thereafter so that its growth could not be jeopardized.”

Learn more about the AAN's remarkable history at AAN.com/History. 

“A real threat to the future of the organization”

Walter J. Freeman, MD

Helen and Francis M. Forster, MD, FAAN, at the 1955 Annual Meeting.

A.B. Baker, MD, FAAN (rear left) and Rose Baker (front center).

In Memoriam: Ralph L. Sacco, MD, MS, FAHA, FAAN

Ralph L. Sacco, MD, MS, FAHA, FAAN, who served as the 35th president of the AAN from 2017 to 2019, passed away on January 17, 2023. Sacco was the chairman of neurology; Olemberg Family Chair in Neurological Disorders; Miller Professor of Neurology Public Health Sciences, Human Genetics, and Neurosurgery; executive director of the Evelyn McKnight Brain Institute; Senior Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Science, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine; and chief of the neurology service at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Read Sacco’s obituary at Neurology.org

During his tenure as AAN president, Sacco led an initiative to ensure that academic neurology, from department chairs to professors to students, knew about the abundance of Academy resources available to them. He hosted summits with neurology chairs and their business managers to better understand the specific challenges and needs they faced and how the AAN could assist them. He was a strong proponent of enlarging the neurology workforce through the academic pipeline and promoted the concept of the ‘newrologist’ to get people excited in careers in neurology, moving beyond just diagnosis and treatments to include interventions, preventative care, and the future of regenerative care. Sacco also championed the AAN’s Axon Registry ® and closer relationships with the international neurology community. (View a clip of Sacco’s 2019 interview at the end of his presidency at AAN.com/History.)

A graduate of Cornell University and a cum laude graduate of Boston University School of Medicine, Sacco received a master's in epidemiology from Columbia University, School of Public Health. He completed his neurology residency training and postdoctoral training in stroke and epidemiology at Columbia Presbyterian in New York. He was previously professor of neurology, chief of Stroke and Critical Care Division, and associate chairman at Columbia University before taking most recent position in 2007.

PRACTICE

Sacco was an international expert in stroke epidemiology and health disparities. He was the founding principal investigator of the Northern Manhattan Study, the Florida Puerto Rico Collaboration to Reduce Stroke Disparities, and the Miami Clinical Translational Science Institute, as well as coinvestigator of multiple other NIH grants. Sacco published extensively with over 1,000 peer-reviewed articles (h-index 109) in the areas of stroke prevention, treatment, epidemiology, risk factors, vascular cognitive impairment, human genetics, and outcomes and has been listed as a Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher since 2017.

He was the recipient of numerous awards, including the AAN Wartenberg Lecture, AHA Feinberg Award of Excellence in Clinical Stroke, the WSO Global Stroke Leadership Award, AHA Gold Heart Award, the NINDS Javits Award in neuroscience, and numerous named lectures.

Sacco was a fellow of both the Stroke and Epidemiology Councils of the American Heart Association, a fellow of the ANA, and an elected member of the Association of American Physicians and National Academy of Medicine. He was the first neurologist to serve as the president of the American Heart Association from 2010 to 2011. 

FDA Approves Lecanemab for Alzheimer's Disease

was able to moderately slow decline on measures of cognition and function in patients with early AD and MCI relative to placebo at 18 months.

An existing National Coverage Determination (NCD) published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in April 2022 stipulates that monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of AD only receive coverage in the context of an approved clinical

trial unless or until it was able to satisfy a variety of criteria as part of Coverage with Evidence Development. This means that lecanemab enters the market under this NCD and therefore access will be limited. In a statement released by CMS upon the approval of lecanemab the agency announced that they are, "examining available information and may reconsider its current coverage based on this review."

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The AAN will continue its advocacy on this issue and is providing resources and education to help its members understand this new therapy. Visit the Monoclonal Antibodies for Alzheimer's Resources page at AAN.com/MAforAD to stay up to date on the Academy's activity in this space. 

Sacco

Be Aware of Health IT Certification Criteria, New Interoperability Standards

The 21st Century Cures Act Health IT Certification requirements for electronic health record (EHR) vendors are officially in effect. These health IT requirements will help neurologists share medical records with their patients and other medical practices. These requirements also will help neurology practices participate with clinical data registries, such as the AAN Axon Registry, and for needed quality measure components to be identified within your EHR to satisfy future MIPS requirements.

In 2020, the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology 21st Century Cures Act made several changes to the existing 2015 Edition Health IT Certification Criteria and mandated attestation by Health IT vendors by December 31, 2022. Health IT Certification Criteria include:

ƒ The adoption of application programming interfaces (APIs)

ƒ Implementing US Core Data for Interoperability and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources standards and the 2015 Cures Edition Update

Health IT Certification criteria are also required for participation in Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) valuebased programs, for example, Promoting Interoperability. In addition, it helps in supporting clinical practice improvement and care coordination and provides tools that improve clinical workflows and quality.

Other benefits of using a Certified Electronic Health Technology (CEHRT) as outlined by CMS include:

ƒ Supports electronic transition of care, closing referral loops, and giving hospitals straighforward and

secure access to their patients’ records from outside organizations ƒ

Makes the process for patients to get their personal health information less time-consuming and tedious for all parties while maintaining confidentiality ƒ Enables the use of APIs to help hospitals access and exchange the health information in CEHRT more easily ƒ Supports patient electronic access to health information through technologies that allow patients greater flexibility and choice in how they access and share their health information

The AAN encourages you to contact your EHR vendor to ensure your practice’s Certified Electronic Health Record meets the ONC 21st Cures Act Health IT certification requirements. You also can check whether a health IT product has been certified to the 2015 Edition Cures Update criteria, visit the Certified Health IT Product List at https://chpl.healthit.gov/#/search 

Axon Registry Annual Report Highlights 2022 Data

The 2022 Axon Registry Annual Report is now available at AAN.com/axon. Prepared by the AAN Registry Subcommittee, the report highlights the potential of the registry data. It provides a succinct overview of the data, including quality measure performance, and visual summaries of practices, participants, and demographics. To learn more about the Axon Registry and enrollment information, visit AAN.com/axon Contact registry @ aan.com with questions. 

Popular Neurology Chair Summit Renamed to Honor Past AAN President Sacco

The Neurology Department Chair and Business Administrator Summit, held in Chicago on December 11 and 12, 2022, is now the Ralph L. Sacco Neurology Chair Summit in honor of the beloved past AAN president. After the official announcement to the event’s 150 attendees, AAN President Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN, took to the podium to describe Sacco’s invaluable contributions to academic neurology. Not only did Sacco conceptualize and plan the first Summit in 2018, but he led the subsequent formation of the AAN’s Academic Neurology Committee and its four subcommittees: Department Chair Subcommittee, Diversity Officer Subcommittee, Division Chief Subcommittee, and Advancing Women in Academics Subcommittee.

The two-day summit was planned by the Department Chair Subcommittee under the leadership of its chair, S. Andrew Josephson, MD, FAAN. This year’s theme, Navigating Choppy Waters and Steering Towards Success, brought department chairs and business administrators together to network and discuss critical topics and challenges facing academic neurology departments, such as: benchmarking; incentive programs; leadership; caring for diverse patients; approaches to clinical, research, and education challenges; recruitment and retention; lessons learned; use of consultants; and more. The summit also hosted a roundtable for women department chairs, who discussed pay equity, supporting women researchers, and work-life balance. The roundtable has more than doubled in size since its first meeting, marking a promising increase in the number of women in academic neurology leadership positions.

The Ralph L. Sacco Neurology Chair Summit is part of the AAN’s broader Academic Initiative, which includes efforts to share best practices on topics such as revenue

generation and funding the education mission; bringing together women chairs of neurology departments and academic business administrators; developing resources for division chiefs and diversity officers; developing webinars for departments to share information on COVID response, financial repercussions, and reactivating departments after the initial surge; and expanding Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives, including a webinar on Neurology Departments Addressing Systemic Racism.

Visit AAN.com for continued updates on the AAN’s Academic Initiative. 

Avitzur described Sacco’s contributions to the AAN’s Academic Neurology efforts during her opening remarks.

Summit attendees gathered to socialize and network during the opening reception.

Sacco

Eight Training Programs Achieve UCNS Accreditation

Eight fellowship training programs recently attained accreditation through the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties. Programs attaining UCNS accreditation status offer the core curriculum established by the subspecialty and meet required quality standards established by the UCNS.

Accreditation is a voluntary process of evaluation and peer review based on UCNS accreditation standards. Fellows who complete a UCNS-accredited program meet the training eligibility requirements to apply for certification in the subspecialty. There are now 234 UCNS-accredited training programs in UCNS-recognized subspecialties.

For a full listing of UCNS-accredited programs and their program directors, visit UCNS.org/Online/News

Training programs interested in applying for accreditation will find application and program requirement information for each subspecialty at UCNS.org/accreditation. Applications received by the July 31, 2023, deadline will be reviewed for accreditation in the fall of 2023. 

Applications Open for Certification in Clinical Neuromuscular Pathology

The United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties is now accepting applications for certification in Clinical Neuromuscular Pathology through May 1, 2023. The five-hour, 200 multiple-choice question certification exam will take place the week of October 30 through November 3, 2023, and will be administered online with virtual live proctoring. The 2023 examination schedule is: ƒ Application Period: February 1–May 1 ƒ Extended application deadline ($500 fee applies): May 15 ƒ Examination registration opens: July 1 ƒ Examination Week: October 30–November 3

Visit UCNS.org/CNMPcertification for more information on eligibility and to apply. 

2023 UCNS Continuous Certification Reading Lists Available

The United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties’ 2023 continuous certification (C-cert) reading lists are now available for Autonomic Disorders, Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry, Clinical Neuromuscular Pathology, Headache Medicine, Interventional Neurology, Neurocritical Care, Neuroimaging, and Neuro-oncology. Reading lists include links to the journal articles submitted by subspecialty peers and selected by each subspecialty’s certification examination committee based on specific criteria.

C-cert activities provide subspecialty learning and knowledge assessment to ensure that diplomates are staying up to date on the latest science, treatments, and therapeutics relating to their subspecialty and include completing the reading lists and taking and passing the 25-question online post-reading quiz to assess knowledge gained from the journal article content. UCNS certification is continuous and does not expire when diplomates meet the annual C-cert requirements.

Learn more and access the C-cert reading lists at UCNS.org/ReadingLists 

EDUCATION Neuroimaging Explored in Continuum

The latest information on neuroimaging is presented in the February issue of Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology ®

Guest Editor Joshua P. Klein, MD, PhD, FASN, FAAN, said, “Advances in neuroimaging techniques have facilitated a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of a wide range of neurologic disorders. Neuroimaging plays a key role in monitoring the response to treatment in many neurologic disease processes, as well.”

Topics in this Continuum® include: ƒ

The Right Imaging for the Right Patient / Nandor K. Pinter, MD ƒ

Safety Considerations in MRI and CT / Robert E. Watson, MD, PhD; Lifeng Yu, PhD ƒ

Imaging of Central Nervous System Ischemia / Julie G. Shulman, MD; Mohamad Abdalkader, MD ƒ

Imaging of Central Nervous System Hemorrhage / Ryan Hakimi, DO, MS, NVS, RPNI, CPB, FNCS, FCCM ƒ

Neuroimaging in Adults and Children with Epilepsy / Erasmo A. Passaro, MD ƒ

Imaging of Skull Base Tumors / Wenya Linda Bi, MD, PhD ƒ

Imaging of Brain Tumors / Justin T. Jordan, MD, MPH, FAAN; Elizabeth R. Gerstner, MD ƒ

CESC: 20 NeuroByte_Online Learning Ad—Half Page Horizontal> AN Placed in AANnews

Imaging in Movement Disorders / Baijayanta Maiti, MD, PhD; Joel S. Perlmutter, MD

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8.25 x 5.25 +0.125 bleed, 4C

Neuroimaging in Dementia / Shannon L. Risacher, PhD; Liana G. Apostolova, MD, MS, FAAN

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Imaging of Central Nervous System Autoimmune, Paraneoplastic, and Neuro-rheumatologic Disorders / Lama Abdel Wahed, MD; Tracey A. Cho, MD, FAAN ƒ

Imaging of Central Nervous System Demyelinating Disorders / Jan Tillema, MD

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Diagnostic Ultrasonography in Neurology / Elsa Azevedo, MD

The issue includes a postreading self-assessment and test with the opportunity to earn up to 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ toward Self-assessment CME.

AAN members pay only $399 per year for a subscription to Continuum and Continuum® Audio. Subscribe now by contacting Wolters Kluwer at (800) 361-0633 or (301) 223-2300 (international) or visit shop.lww.com/continuum. AAN Junior members who are transitioning to neurologist memberships are eligible to receive a 60-percent discount on the already low member rate for the Continuum and Continuum Audio subscription. 

AAN ONLINE LEARNING

Browse a variety of online CME, self-assessment, and other learning activities to suit your wide-ranging interests and learning styles.

AAN.com/learn

Klein

Celebrate and Support Brain Disease Research at April 26 Commitment to Cures Gala

Join us on April 26 at the 2023 AAN Annual Meeting in Boston for Commitment to Cures, the annual gala that galvanizes the neurology community around the crucial need to support research.

Jim Cramer, migraine advocate and host of CNBC’s “Mad Money,” will emcee an inspiring evening celebrating research that will feature stories from people living with brain disease, updates on our latest research studies, and an appearance from musician Peter Frampton, who will receive the Ambassador Award for elevating public awareness of inclusion body myositis.

The event will begin with a cocktail reception at 6:00 p.m. ET followed by a seated dinner and program at 7:00 p.m. ET.

The 2022 Gala in Seattle was the Foundation’s most successful to date, raising over $874,000 for brain disease research. Over

the years, the Commitment to Cures Gala has hosted many special guests, including actor and comedian Seth Rogen and his wife, Lauren Miller Rogen; Sidney Crosby; Emilia Clarke; Khloé Kardashian; Cindy McCain, and others.

We look forward to celebrating the progress we have made, as well as our continuing work of raising awareness about the importance of brain disease research. Tickets can be purchased when you register for the AAN Annual Meeting or at AmericanBrainFoundation.org/C2C2023. All ticket sales and proceeds go to funding brain research. 

Vascular Neurologist—Ascension Saint Agnes— Saint Agnes Hospital—Baltimore, MD

Seeking Fellowship trained Vascular neurologist to direct our dual certified Primary Stroke Program by The Joint Commission (TJC) and Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services System (MIEMSS). Working with 4 other multi sub-specialty trained neurologists for inpatient consultations and outpatient clinical activities. Program includes our wellestablished cerebrovascular service with gold and elite plus status. The program infrastructure includes our dedicated Nurse Practitioner and Stroke coordinators. Current director is planning retirement. Please contact Susan Counselman; scounsel@ascension.org for more information.

Neuromuscular Neurologist—Cleveland Clinic— Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland Clinic’s Neurological Institute is recruiting a full-time Neuromuscular Neurologist. Expertise in the specific area of nerve and muscle diseases is required as well as Board certification/board eligibility in Neurology and Neuromuscular diseases as well as EMG and/or Clinical Neurophysiology. The Neuromuscular Center at Cleveland Clinic specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and research of these and other neuromuscular disorders. Specialists at the Neuromuscular Center offer comprehensive care to achieve accurate diagnosis of nerve and muscle diseases and rely upon state-of-the-art treatment modalities to optimize quality of life. We invite highly qualified candidates who are committed to excellence in patient care, possess strong clinical skills and have an interest in clinical investigation and education. Candidates with neurological sub-specialty interests will also be considered. This dynamic position commands an extremely competitive salary enhanced by an attractive benefits package including but not limited to: Excellent medical, dental, vision coverage, Comprehensive disability and life insurance benefits, Medical malpractice & tail coverage provided, Generous time away coverage for vacation, sick time, holidays and CME meeting time, Highly competitive retirement plans with employer contribution,

Faculty appointment available at the Cleveland Clinic Learner College of Medicine commensurate with experience, Please include a current CV and cover letter with your application to Nathan Elting at eltingn@ccf.org

Memory Disorder/Dementia Specialist to join Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health—Cleveland Clinic— Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute announces a search for a BC/BE Behavioral/Geriatric Neurologist, Geriatric Psychiatrist, or Geriatrician with advanced training and experience in the diagnosis and management of memory loss, Alzheimer’s Disease and other related cognitive disorders. This individual will join the staff of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health has locations in Las Vegas, Nevada, Cleveland and Lakewood, Ohio and Florida. The Cleveland program is directed by Dr. James Leverenz. Cleveland Clinic's Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health provides diagnosis and ongoing treatment for patients with cognitive disorders and support services for family members who care for them. We advocate a patient-focused, multidisciplinary approach for the diagnosis and treatment of cognitive disorders. We encourage collaboration across all care providers, delivering a continuum of care, and integrate research and education at every level. The program offers onsite advanced imaging capabilities (recently added 7T MRI) and supportive clinical services such as rehabilitation. The individual will interact with both physicians and scientists who are providing clinical care, developing experimental therapies, and performing innovative research for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. The research program allows for opportunities to participate in clinical trials and both basic and translational research. This dynamic position commands an extremely competitive salary enhanced by an attractive benefits package including but not limited to: Excellent medical, dental, vision coverage, Comprehensive disability and life insurance benefits, Medical malpractice & tail coverage provided, Generous time away

„ Careers.AAN.com

coverage for vacation, sick time, holidays and CME meeting time, Highly competitive retirement plans with employer contribution, Faculty appointment available at the Cleveland Clinic Learner College of Medicine commensurate with experience. Interested candidates, please visit this link to apply, https://www.practicematch.com/physicians/job-details. cfm/434978. Please include a current CV and cover letter. From its natural treasures such as Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to its many entertainment and cultural attractions, Cleveland is the place to be! Cleveland is home to 3 professional sports teams along with the nation’s second largest performing arts center, the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We’re also a foodie town that ranks high on the global culinary map. Our melting-pot culture with affordable homes and top rated public and private schools and universities, Cleveland provides excellent resources to live and learn. Outstanding Healthcare, Technology and Innovation companies provide the backbone to Cleveland’s growing economy. Cleveland Clinic is pleased to be an equal employment/affirmative action employer: Women/Minorities/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. Smoke-free/drug-free environment. 

AANnews® Classified Advertising

The AAN offers a complete package of print, online, and in-person recruitment advertising opportunities. Visit careers.AAN.com for all AAN options, rates, and deadlines.

Ad copy for the April 2023 print edition of AANnews must be submitted by March 1, 2023. The same deadline applies to changes/cancellations.

The American Academy of Neurology reserves the right to decline, withdraw, or edit advertisements at its discretion. Every care is taken to avoid mistakes, but the responsibility for clerical or printer errors does not exceed the cost of the ad.

Cramer Frampton

„ Visit the AAN’s Neurology Career Center to view hundreds of additional jobs and sign up for customized, confidential notifications when positions of interest are added.

March

April