The neurosurgery subspecialty group finished their initial data element definition yesterday. The group, led by CPRN network leader Dr. Jerry Oakes, Surgeon-in-Chief at Children’s of Alabama, consisted of ten neurosurgeons including:

• Dr. Philipp Aldana, Wolfson Children’s Hospital
• Dr. Richard Anderson, Columbia University
• Dr. Robert Bollo, Primary Children’s Hospital
• Dr. Jeffrey Leonard, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
• Dr. Michael Partington, Gillette Children’s Hopsital
• Dr. Nathan Ranalli, Wolfson Children’s Hospital
• Dr. Shenandoah “Dody” Robinson, Boston Children’s Hospital
• Dr. Brandon Rocque, Children’s of Alabama
• Dr. Charles Stevenson, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

The group has met consistently every other week since April 28th to define the important data to collect for the primary neurosurgical interventions for cerebral palsy — selective dorsal rhizotomy and intrathecal baclofen pumps. This common data model will be an important core to the CPRN registry enabling the study of practice variation to target for quality improvement initiatives and study planning for future clinical research.