Published: October 5, 2016

Board of Governors: Be an advocate for change

The joy of patient care is hopefully something that you experience on a regular basis. As practitioners, it is easy to get caught up in the alphabet soup—MIPS, MACRA, ACA, EHR. But, the real reason that most of us chose this path is the patients.

Stacey L. Ishman, MD, MPH, Chair, Board of Governors

Stacey L. Ishman, MD, MPH Chair, Board of GovernorsStacey L. Ishman, MD, MPH
Chair, Board of GovernorsThe joy of patient care is hopefully something that you experience on a regular basis. As practitioners, it is easy to get caught up in the alphabet soup—MIPS, MACRA, ACA, EHR. But, the real reason that most of us chose this path is the patients.

At the Board of Governors (BOG)  meeting last month in San Diego, we  focused on the importance of local specialty societies for education, fellowship, and  professional development through the  counsel of our colleagues and friends.  We also highlighted the socioeconomic  issues that are impacting our practices  and our patients—issues such as balloon sinuplasty payment and the request for  preauthorization for office flexible  laryngoscopy. And, we addressed the alphabet soup and the mandate for improved quality and value—tenets for which we would all like to strive.

We need your input

At the same time, we have all waited with  anticipation to see how the launch and actuation of RegentSM will help us to meet the federal quality reporting requirements. More importantly, we will have the data to prove the positive outcomes that we see in our patients when insurance companies come to us with denials. We will have benchmarks to help us attain and improve the quality of our care.

The BOG is your grassroots voice to provide input regarding the issues and clinical questions that you need answered the most. Please let us know what issues you find most important for your practice or what clinical questions you think need to be answered in order for you to provide the best care for your patients.

Society engagement

At the same time, we want to ensure that everyone has the tools to maximize  connections and advocacy at the local  and regional society level. Toward that end, we are pulling together leaders  from these societies to help us create an online toolbox for member societies. Our  intent is to provide you the tools to benchmark against vibrant local societies and improve attendance and value for your members, whether you meet in person or as virtual societies.

Please let us know if we can help your society and if you are interested in helping us maximize these resources.

AAO-HNS/F 2017 Leadership Forum & BOG Spring Meeting, March 10-13

We also invite you to join us in Alexandria, VA, for the upcoming Leadership Forum, where we will continue to discuss the aforementioned issues along with ways to hone your advocacy and leadership skills. At the same time, there are ample opportunities to network with the leadership of our Academy and ask questions directly to the candidates for Academy President at the BOG-sponsored Candidates Forum. Other highlights will include the always popular ENT PAC Reception (open to ENT PAC Leadership Club members) and free CME credits. Online registration will open this winter, so mark your calendars now.

I hope to see you there!

More from October 2016 - Vol. 35, No. 9
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Fact Sheets: Post-SGR Payment Policy: APMs
MACRA replaced the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) and created the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM) program. The proposed start date for the Advanced APM program is January 1, 2017.
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Fact Sheets: Post-SGR Payment Policy: MIPS
MACRA replaced the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) and created the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the Alternative Payment Model (APM) program.
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Fact Sheets: MIPS and APMs
MACRA replaced the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) and created the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the Ad­vanced Alternative Payment Model (APM) program. The proposed start date for the two new payment programs is January 1, 2017.
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Fact Sheets: Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and eligible Alternative Payment Models (APMs)
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) repealed the SGR and created two new payment update tracks: the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Models (APMs).
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Academy, Anthem revise SPECT/CT fusion imaging policy
Thanks to Academy physician leaders’ comments and clinical recommendations, Anthem revised the Anthem Medical Policy for Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT) Fusion Imaging.
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Reg-ent℠ is growing
Join the first ENT Clinical Data Registry and be ready for 2017 MIPS reporting
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Academy comments on 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
On July 15, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted the proposed Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS) for calendar year (CY) 2017. In addition to payment policy and payment rate updates, the MPFS addresses a number of issues affecting otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons.
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Required Submission: Answering a ‘Call for Papers,’ applying for a grant, or engaging in committee work?
All Scientific Oral Presentations at the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting and all manuscripts resulting from Academy or Foundation-sponsored research or committee work must be submitted as full-length articles to Otolaryngology–Head Neck Surgery, the official journal  of the AAO-HNSF, for right of first refusal.
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Committees and 3P Workgroup approve nine Position Statements
At the September Board of Directors Meeting, nine Position Statements (three of which were new) were approved for use in state and federal regulatory or advocacy efforts, or to clarify the AAO-HNS/F approval or disapproval of certain practices in medicine.
Lokman B. Saim, MD
AAO-HNSF establishes two international awards
Thanks to the generosity of Nikhil J. Bhatt, MD, the AAO-HNSF has established the AAO-HNSF Nikhil J. Bhatt, MD International Humanitarian Award and the International Public Service Award. These awards were announced during the AAO-HNS/F Boards of Directors’ luncheon, September 17.
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Revamping hearing health in Barbados
Here in the United States, universal newborn hearing screening has become so prevalent and successful that we nearly take it for granted that children with hearing loss will be identified and treated. For the few children who slip through the cracks, the consequences are substantial and the feelings of failure are real.
James C. Denneny III, MD AAO-HNS/F EVP/CEO
Commitment and collaboration
Even the most casual observer who attended our meeting in San Diego would recognize the massive amount of work that goes into staging our Annual Meeting. The teamwork between our staff and otolaryngologists worldwide and spectrum of practice situations is truly amazing.
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As a third-year Cornell Medical College student I had a basic science research background and strong clinical interest in reproductive endocrinology. It was then I took my otolaryngology-head and neck surgery rotation and met Roy Sessions, MD, then the sole otolaryngologist on the renowned head and neck surgical service of Memorial Sloan Kettering.