With Thanks and Gratitude
Looking back on two terms by the outgoing EVP and CEO.
As I look back on my two terms as the AAO-HNSF Executive Vice President and CEO, I recognize the good fortune that allowed me to get this job in the first place. I feel particularly blessed that I was able to be a voice for the profession and specialty that I love dearly and help to make it feasible to deliver the best care possible for our patients across the breadth of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.
My favorite part of this job has been meeting and learning from colleagues around the United States and throughout the world. I quickly discovered that the information and feedback I received on these trips was critical to my understanding of what was truly going on in the trenches and where help and change was needed most. During my travels, I have made many new friends who, along with an incredible staff, supported and operationalized key programs that improved the lives of our patients, as well as spawned new ways to look at old problems.
So many of you have generously given of your time after finishing your normal day-to-day responsibilities to enable us to achieve specialty and organizational goals while continually moving forward. Your gift of time has resulted in the following:
- Making the Annual Meeting better each year
- Producing innovative education programs, like FLEX, and the Otolaryngology Core Curriculum
- Starting and maintaining our Qualified Clinical Data Registry, Reg-entSM
- Creating the Otolaryngology Private Practice Section with its own meeting, OTO FORUM
- Organizing and expanding our international joint meeting program and establishing the International Advisory Board to govern the International Corresponding Societies
- Originating a new, patient-centered website, ENThealth.org
- Adding OTO Open to our peer review publication portfolio and
- Digitizing the Bulletin
- Reimagining our workforce assessment through better survey techniques and data acquisition to help prepare for the future
And let’s not forget the stalwart members who are carrying the banner for otolaryngology in the never-ending battle that advocacy represents at all levels, federal, state, regulatory, and private payer.
I have had the privilege of working with some of the great Academy leaders of our time as well as those of the specialty societies within otolaryngology as we all try to work collaboratively for the benefit of the specialty and our patients. The Specialty Unity Summit, which is hosted by the Academy, is a great example of how we can work together, share information, and strengthen our voice.
One of my primary goals as the EVP/CEO has been for the Academy to define “best care,” provide the tools needed to provide that care, and advocate for a delivery system that allows otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons to deliver that care to all who need it. Although progress has taken place, there is still a way to go.
I would like to express my appreciation to the Board of Directors, my fellow otolaryngologists and our dedicated staff for entrusting me with this job and believing in me and offer my profound respect and thanks to practicing otolaryngologists for the quality care you deliver and our members who generously donate their time to achieve our mission and our extraordinary staff, without which nothing would get done.
Best wishes to all.