James R. Bean, MD, FAANS, Receives AANS Distinguished Service Award

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) presented James Bean, MD, FAANS, with the 2012 Distinguished Service Award on April 16, 2012, during its 80th Annual Scientific Meeting in Miami. The Distinguished Service Award is one of the highest honors bestowed by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, recognizing exemplary service to the AANS and the field of neurosurgery. The award pays tribute to the contributions of remarkable people within their profession.

James R. Bean, MD, FAANS, received his medical school degree from Tulane University’s School of Medicine in 1973, and then moved on to receive his neurosurgery training from the University of Kentucky (1974-1980). In 1982, following two years as an assistant professor of neurosurgery at the University of Kentucky, he joined Neurosurgical Associates in Lexington, Ky., where he continues to practice neurosurgery while serving as an advocate for the specialty in a wide range of forums, committees, groups and associations.

Dr. Bean became an appointed delegate to the JCSNS in 1990; was appointed Medical Practices Committee chair in 1992; and was elected Southeast Quadrant chair in 1993, JCSNS vice-chair in 1994, and CSNS chair from 1997 to 1999. He was instrumental in restructuring the JCSNS as a delegate assembly in 1995-1996. He served on the Washington Committee from 1999 to 2004 and as chairman from 2002 to 2004. He also was the first chairman of the AANS Coding and Reimbursement Committee, from 2000 to 2002. Dr. Bean has testified to U.S. Congressional committees on behalf of the AANS on several occasions on health-care policy and professional liability. He served as AANS delegate to the AMA, course co-director for the Neurosurgeon as CEO, editor of the AANS Bulletin, and as invited speaker on numerous panels and seminars on practice-management and health-policy topics.

Dr. Bean served as AANS Treasurer from 2004 to 2007 and AANS President in 2008-2009. In Kentucky, he was president of the Lexington Medical Society, the Kentucky Neurosurgical Society and a large multispecialty Independent Practice Association, as well as board chairman of a sole-source Medicaid Managed Care Consortium for 120,000 recipients.

Using these experiences in molding his AANS service, Dr. Bean has been a tireless advocate for neurosurgery in federal health policy, professional liability reform, medical ethics and innovative practice management. He has been an acknowledged leader whose vision and commitment to the specialty have helped shaped neurosurgery policy, strategy and action during a two-decade period of profound change in neurosurgery practice, federal policy, payment economics and professional identity.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 8,100 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members of the AANS are certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Neurosurgery) of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, AC. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerves. For more information, visit www.AANS.org.