A New Vision for AAN.com

AAN Website Editor-in-Chief Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN (Bio)

April 25, 2007

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It is a very exciting time for medical sites on the Internet. The burgeoning growth in digital technology and the means to obtain information is astounding. There are so many ways to stay connected today that it seems impossible to imagine that we could practice without the benefits of the online world.

And yet, to date, there has been no singular source that provides neurologists with news, information, and resources on demand. Until now.

Welcome to the new AAN.com—a one-stop portal for breaking news in neurology, and resources to help run your practice, maintain CME, and exchange information with other neurology professionals. The new AAN website has been completely redesigned with user-friendly navigation, new features, and the ability to customize content to individual preferences. As the site grows, products and services will be added based on member feedback and needs

As Editor-in-Chief of the AAN’s new website, my goal is to make AAN.com the homepage for all neurologists—to make AAN.com the launch point for your day, and the first place you come to find help in neurology. Over the next year, you will see a variety of new developments to assist you in your practice. I will be working with four very talented associate editors who will spearhead new content, tools, and resources for the Science, Education, Practice, and Advocacy sections of AAN.com. They bring a unique collective experience in website development and health information technology to their areas of expertise.

The AAN website Associate Editors are:

  • Science, John Henson, MD, FAAN
    Dr. Henson will keep members up-to-date with reviews of the most important papers in disease-related, clinical, and basic neuroscience.
  • Education, Daniel Hier, MD, MBA, FAAN
    Dr. Hier will collaborate with the Education Committee and Academy staff to support educational resources and provide new digital resources.
  • Practice and Technology, Neil Busis, MD, FAAN
    Dr. Busis will oversee essential practice resources (i.e., coding and practice management tools, Clinical Practice Guidelines and more) to help members with the challenges in the daily practice of clinical neurology.
  • Advocacy, Lily Jung, MD, FAAN
    Dr. Jung will inform members about a myriad of advocacy initiatives from the AAN, and give advice on how to get involved.

A New Website for You the Neurologist
From the first moment you sign-in, you are sure to notice an enhanced AAN website experience. Centralizing news from the Academy’s current print offerings will simplify access to comprehensive and popular material such as Neurology® and Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology®. All areas can be accessed by using an email address and password of your choosing.

Enhancements to the new website include:

  • Late-breaking news to keep members informed of developments in our field and the opinions of thought leaders in neurology
  • Access to a new Digital Resource Library, which delivers educational materials directly to members in the form of neuroimages, videos, photographs, and presentations
  • A homepage calendar to help members stay up-to-date on conferences, meetings, and other important Academy activities
  • A CME tracker to allow neurologists to maintain CME records in one place—and educational opportunities to earn CME credits will be added on a regular basis
  • New columns, offering practical advice in areas such as medico-legal issues
  • An updated AAN Membership Directory that includes practice focus and subspecialty, comments, and photos
  • Online forums will soon be offered to AAN Sections, providing like-minded specialists a platform to discuss new developments and share ideas

And finally, the site’s new capability to provide feedback—directly from you—will make AAN.com a site created by members, for members, in the tradition of our journals and educational programs.

I would like to thank the Website Task Force for the work they have done over the past two years identifying areas for improvement for the site. Led by the Chair, Babara Scherokman, MD, FAAN, FACP, task force members revamped the navigation structure, created a new user interface, and designed a more powerful search engine. They developed many of the tools that you currently see, and built in customization preferences so that you would be able to make the experience relevant to your needs.

The associate editors and I look forward to continuing their mission serving you, and to receiving your input as AAN.com expands its resources so that you may provide the best care possible for your patients.


Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN