Practice Events and Courses Included with Registration

There are many practice events and courses free with your Annual Meeting registration. We invite you take advantage of these free programs.

Saturday, April 21

12:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.

1EC.001 BRAINS Colloquium: BRAINS, Business, and All that Jazz


Program Director: David A. Evans, MBA

Program description: The 2012 BRAINS educational session “BRAINS, Business, and All that Jazz” will focus on relevant business related topics for neurologists and business managers. Presentations will include business case studies in subspecialty neurology, contracting with hospitals, and government and legislative updates impacting neurology practices. There also will be a panel discussion on emerging practice-related issues.

Topics of the 2012 BRAINS Colloquium include:

  • Business Case Studies in Subspecialty Neurology: The development of subspecialty neurology centers within a comprehensive clinic model can achieve fiscal and clinical advantages. Benefits of a successful implementation include improved patient care, profitability, and a stronger negotiating position with managed care payers.
    Case studies will be presented in headache, TIA, head trauma, dizziness/gait, diagnostic imaging, sleep, and infusion. Experienced administrators from comprehensive neurology centers will provide guidance on everything from identification of services that best fit your organization to budgeting, contracting, and implementation.
  • Contracting with Hospitals: Faculty will cover preparing for the negotiation with the hospital, what physicians bring to the table, type of contracts, the components to include in a contract, and the strategies for the most effective contract results. The presentation will include including walking through a model contract.
  • Government and Legislative Updates: Understanding relevant government and regulatory issues is always critical to a high performing neurology practice. Using a roundtable approach, the panel will address current issues neurologists and business managers are facing in 2012. The panel discussion will include topics ranging from ICD-10, government incentive programs, and health care reform to emerging practice issues.

Sunday, April 22

9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

2EC.001 Patient Safety Colloquium: Transitions of Care: Who Cares?


Program Director: Samuel Frank, MD
This event is designed to educate physicians on uses of modern technology to improve patient safety. Emphasis will be on practical solutions that the attendee can implement immediately upon returning home from this event.

Discussion will include an overview of the following:

  • Accessible technologies to improve safety, workflow, and efficiency
  • Provider-to-patient electronic communication, including medicolegal considerations
  • Pprovider-to-provider electronic communication.

1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.

2EC.002 Practice Colloquium: Prepare Your Practice for the Future: What Will the Practice of Neurology Look Like in 2017?


Program Director: Heidi Schwarz, MD, FAAN
With the implementation of federal health care reform, the future landscape of the neurology practice may be very different than it is today. This colloquium will feature talks highlighting the key changes that neurologists need to prepare for in the realms of quality, health information technology, payment system reform, and practice structure.

In addition to preparing attendees for this future practice environment, the colloquium will discuss how these transitions present new opportunities for individual physicians to play an active role in improving the practice of medicine.

Monday, April 23

1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.

Best Care Expo: 8 Paths to Practice Excellence


Light snacks and cocktails will be served during this event.
Attend the interactive 2012 Best Care Expo and experience how the Academy helps your practice meet the challenges of today’s changing health care environment so you can provide the best possible care to your patients. This year’s Expo has eight interactive stations:

Mock Legislative Visits
Learn how to relay issues to your legislators most effectively by practicing on AAN members and staff experienced in leading the AAN’s annual Neurology on the Hill.

Mastering the Sound Bite
Condense any message into one that will be remembered. Learn how to develop the ultimate elevator speech.

ICD-10 Readiness Check
Walk through the ICD-10 implementation path and find out from the experts whether your practice is ready for the October 1, 2013, conversion and what your next steps are.

Claims Denials: Appeal Properly and Increase Reimbursement
Ensure your practice is properly appealing denied claims and learn ways to turn your denials into appropriate reimbursement effectively, using AAN resources and expert guidance.

Evidence-based Medicine: Guidelines and Resources
Test your knowledge of evidence-based medicine (EBM). Separate fact from myth about EBM and learn about the latest changes in AAN guideline development.

Quality and Value: Implementing Guidelines, Measures, and Safety in Practice
Access tools and resources to implement in practice the Physician Quality Reporting System measures, electronic health records, and registries. Learn about resources for reducing health care–acquired infections and condition-specific complications.

Patient-reported Outcomes
Access tools and resources to measure health outcomes from the patient perspective.

Sound-off Booth
Sound off about your biggest practice-related issues. Now is your chance to tell Academy staff what concerns are affecting your practice.

2:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.

The $44,000 Question: Are You Ready to Make the Most Out Of Your EHR?

Attend the free AAN program “The $44,000 Question: Are You Ready to Make the Most Out of Your EHR?” and prepare to qualify for federally mandated changes with electronic health records (EHR), including an in-depth look at how to report and qualify for Meaningful Use incentive payments. 

The first two hours will feature presentations on:

  • Meaningful Use—how to register and get reimbursed
  • Patient engagement and social media
  • Using templates in your EHR
  • Neuro applications and tablets, voice recognition

During the interactive final hour, attendees can visit stations and discuss the presentation topics with experts and gain advice from colleagues who have successfully earned the incentives

Food and beverage will be provided during the breakout session!

Wednesday, April 25

5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.

Current Practice Issues in Neurology

Attend the Current Practice Issues in Neurology session “Development of Guidelines and Policies by Private Insurers: A Practical Dialogue with Medical Directors” for an opportunity to hear directly from insurer medical directors about their processes in developing coverage policy. 

Gather insider information about how claims are paid or why they are denied as well as useful tips for reducing hassles with insurers. Participate in a two-way discussion by asking questions and providing direct feedback to the physician medical directors during this free 90-minute event.