Working Together as We Embrace and Support Our Differences

This month, I would like to highlight the history and efforts of our Academy in the area of diversity and inclusion. The motto “We Are One” embodies the composition of and commitment to our membership and the patients we serve.

The Unequivocal Role of Specialty-wide Societies in the Future

We hear the term “value” related to healthcare so frequently that it has become trite. Even so, “value” is what ultimately determines the survivability and structure of a given entity. Those who predict and provide the tools and services that their customers/members want and need successfully evolve and maintain relevance during times of disruptive change. Those who do not are ultimately replaced or become irrelevant.

At The Forefront

Covering a breadth and depth of topics, from risk factors for developing aspiration to surgical therapies for Zenker’s Diverticulum, OTOSource is a valuable and free learning resource. Explore the Laryngology, Voice, and Swallowing unit at www.otosource.org.

State OTO Society Roundtable

The AAO-HNS/F 2020 Leadership Forum & BOG Spring Meeting starts on Friday, May 1, with the popular State OTO Society Roundtable, followed by the Executive Directors & Society Administrators Meeting.

AAO-HNS History Museum Primary Donor Pays a Visit

The Academy had a surprise visit from John Q. Adams, a major donor and supporter of the AAO-HNS Foundation (AAO-HNSF), who generously donated $1 million as part of the Foundation’s Greater Academy Campaign. In recognition of his outstanding and longtime support of the Foundation, the History and Archives Department of the AAO-HNSF was renamed The John Q. Adams Center for the History of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in 1996.

Laryngology and Technology: Balancing Outcome and Cost

We are now faced with the opportunity of the advanced technology of single port robotics and the potential for applications in laryngology. Between 2002 and 2009, I had the opportunity to work with Russell H. Taylor, PhD, who pioneered robotic surgery for IBM and later collaborated with Intuitive Surgical.

Section for Residents and Fellows-in-Training: A Call to Otolaryngologists-in-Training  for Academy Engagement

As the healthcare landscape rapidly evolves, the need for organized medicine grows stronger by the day. Yet, for those of us in the structure of a training environment, participation in our specialty society can easily be pushed to the end of a long list of things to do.

Diversity and Inclusion: When We Default to Straight

The Diversity Endowment provides a critical base of funding for underrepresented minority groups to create programs that facilitate education about inclusion, place a greater emphasis on inclusion, and encourage exploration of the specialty by medical students everywhere.

Society of Physician Assistants in Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery – Practice Opportunity: Advanced Practice Provider Training

Healthcare quality and value remain a hot topic in 2020. The final 2020 Physician Fee Schedule Rule issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) included many notable changes, some positive and some less so.

Incorporating Advanced Practice Providers into Your Practice – Part I: What is an APP?

The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) recognizes the growing importance of the physician–advanced practice provider (APP) team approach and the positive impact on the quality of practice, patient care, and wellness.

#OTOMTG20 Brings Otolaryngology Together

Each fall, the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation welcomes 7,000-plus attendees from more than 80 countries and more than 250 exhibiting companies for the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO Experience.

International Guest of Honor: Egypt

The healthcare system in Egypt faces the burden of providing healthcare services especially in areas associated with low income or inadequate education and is required to evolve at a very fast pace to meet existing and potential demand gaps.

MIPS Year 4: What You Need to Know

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made several changes to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) for 2020, the program’s fourth year. CMS is required by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) to implement a quality payment incentive program, referred to as the Quality Payment Program (QPP).

New Resources: Top 100 CPT Codes

The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery has prepared new member resources outlining the Top 100 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes reported by providers with the subspecialty designation of “4-Otolaryngology” within the Medicare enrollment database.

Getting Started with Reg-ent: What You Need to Know Before You Sign Up

Ready to sign up for Reg-ent now or thinking about doing so soon? Here is what you need to know about registry participation and the registration process before you sign up.

Transition to In-office Treatments: Laryngology

It is often said that what was once old becomes new again. Prior to the advent of modern general anesthetic techniques, otolaryngologists were already at the forefront of in-office procedures, such as in-office tonsillectomy and supraglottic biopsy.

Out of Committee: Patient Safety and Quality Improvement – Safety of Office-based Laryngology Procedures

Within medicine, otolaryngology-head and neck surgery is often recognized for its balance of surgical procedures and clinical care of patients. Throughout the field of otolaryngology, there has been a shift over time to move an increasing number of our surgical procedures into the office setting.

March 1-7, 2020, is National Sleep Awareness Week – Information for Your Patients: Sleep Apnea

Regular snoring in adults and children can be a sign of a more serious problem: obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea involves blockage of the airway during sleep and can be characterized by decreased oxygen levels and sleep fragmentation.

Focus on Your Voice in 2020

World Voice Day is celebrated and recognized on April 16 every year, but with the year 2020, its vision and standard cannot escape our minds. Our world is a busy one, and our attention is often pulled in many directions. First and foremost, though, is our responsibility to do no harm—and we can do that by focusing on our voices.

Q&A for Patients

Contributors from the AAO-HNS Voice Committee: William Z. Gao, MD, Norman D. Hogikyan, MD, Sid Khosla, MD, Melissa M. Mortensen, MD, Amy L. Rutt, DO

Humanitarian Travel Grant: Medical Mission in Ethiopia

I have been interested in global public health for some time and completed a master’s degree in public health as part of medical school. However, as I transitioned to residency, I became slightly jaded with regard to global health. Low-resource countries not only have a shortage of physicians, but also other services such as speech therapists, nurses, and audiologists.