What is the American Headache Society?
The American Headache Society (AHS) is a professional society of healthcare providers dedicated to the study and treatment of headache and face pain. The Mission of the AHS is to improve the lives of people impacted by migraine and other headache disorders. AHS advocates for those impacted by headache and the headache field, to meet our core objectives. AHS provides educational courses, scientific meetings, a journal, research support, career development opportunities, Special Interest Groups, advocacy training, and a professional community. The AHS strives to meet its objectives while fostering an inclusive sense of belonging and community.
Our Objectives
- Provide education about headache disorders and disorders of facial pain to a broad range of healthcare professionals, to improve patient care and increase the number of individuals who deliver evidence-based, high quality headache care.
- Raise visibility and awareness of migraine and other headache disorders with the goal of reducing barriers to receiving a timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
- Build interest and provide resources to increase the number and pipeline of diverse clinicians, scientists, educators, and advocates working in the headache field.
- Facilitate headache research and disseminate scientific findings through AHS scientific meetings, publications in Headache, direct support, and through partnerships with other organizations.
- Support career development for the diversity of AHS members by providing opportunities for education, active participation, leadership development, and recognition of accomplishments.
Continuing Medical Education
The Society’s educational objective is to continue to improve the knowledge, skills and professional performance of physicians, psychologists and other health professionals in the care of patients with head, neck and orofacial pain by:
- Providing a forum for presentation of free scientific communication on research and clinical practice
- Providing educational symposia
- Improving education in medical schools and residency programs
- Identifying and developing new educational initiatives
- Supporting education programs directed to people with head, neck and orofacial pain
- Maintaining strict adherence to ACCME guidelines
- Developing educational activities and tools that are designed, and then evaluated, for their role in improving the learners’ competence, performance and the overall quality and safety of the care they give to individuals suffering from head, neck and orofacial pain
AHS Board of Directors
The AHS Board of Directors helps to ensure success of the missions and objectives of the society. In addition to organizing events and educational symposia, they also perform research and provide support to headache professionals and patients.
Society Strategic Imperatives
The AHS Strategic Imperatives, developed by the Board of Directors, help guide AHS activities and efforts and showcase the outstanding goals and accomplishments of AHS members and volunteer leaders.
Education
- Provide headache education to a broad range of healthcare professionals with the goal of increasing the number of professionals who deliver high quality headache care.
- Integrate innovative approaches within educational programming and publications tailored to various audiences, including headache specialists, non-specialists, and those at different stages of their education and careers.
- Provide educational opportunities that support the headache medicine pipeline and the professional development of members.
Membership
- Foster an inclusive sense of belonging and community while building a culture of active participation.
- Support career development of AHS members through leadership development, service opportunities, and recognition of individual accomplishments.
- Articulate a compelling value proposition to retain existing members and attract new members.
Research
- Disseminate research results through publications in Headache, presentations at the AHS scientific meeting, and other mechanisms.
- Partner with other organizations to facilitate and prioritize headache research.
- Pursue opportunities to fund and support headache research.
Advocacy
- Advocate for the headache field, AHS members, and individuals with headache.
- Increase the number of advocates within the AHS who partner to advance advocacy priorities.
- Build alliances and collaborate with other organizations to strengthen and advance advocacy efforts.
Communications
- Ensure member awareness of progress on key initiatives.
- Raise awareness about opportunities for member engagement.
- Increase external visibility and influence of the AHS in ways that advance the AHS mission.
- Develop and publish position statements addressing important topics in headache medicine.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)
- Prioritize EDI to enhance the quality of AHS activities.
- Integrate EDI concepts into AHS educational programming.
- Ensure that AHS membership and leadership is comprised of individuals from a broad, well-balanced, and inclusive range of backgrounds.
- Support and promote research which addresses care gaps and inequities in headache medicine.
- Advocate to rectify inequities in headache medicine and research.