{"id":"ce147fb9-02d3-4c03-b482-474a2a3c1feb","slug":"does-the-american-association-of-neurological-surgeons-seek-to-limit-members-from-testifying-for-patients-plaintiffs-through-proceedings-resembling-a-kangaroo-court-and-or-star-chamber","title":"Does the American Association of Neurological Surgeons seek to limit members from testifying for patients/plaintiffs through proceedings resembling a kangaroo court and/or star chamber?","authors":["Nancy E. Epstein"],"abstract":"Background: The editorial discusses the challenges faced by surgeons in testifying for plaintiffs in legal malpractice suits, attributing some of these challenges to actions by professional medical societies, particularly the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). It critiques the AANS Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) for potentially deterring surgeons from providing testimony through its grievance procedures, which are described as resembling a Kangaroo Court and a Star Chamber. Summary: The author examines the structure and secrecy of the AANS PCC proceedings, highlighting how they may discourage neurosurgeons from testifying against their peers. The editorial raises concerns about the lack of transparency regarding the number of grievances filed and the outcomes of these proceedings, suggesting that the AANS may prioritize deterring testimony over addressing issues of unnecessary spine surgery. Conclusion: The editorial calls for greater transparency from the AANS regarding its grievance processes and outcomes to better understand whether these procedures effectively deter expert testimony. The author invites the AANS to provide historical data on grievances to facilitate an assessment of the impact of their policies on neurosurgeons' willingness to testify. Keywords: neurosurgery, testimony, grievance procedures, AANS, professional conduct, malpractice, expert witness, transparency","thumbnailUrl":null,"publishDate":"2018-12-27T00:00:00.000Z","doi":"10.4103/sni.sni_422_18","categories":["Spine","Editorial"],"fullTextUrl":"https://surgicalneurologyint.com/api/articles/ce147fb9-02d3-4c03-b482-474a2a3c1feb/pdf"}