Private Practice Otolaryngology Has Found Its Place

Daniel R. Gold, MD, David E. Melon, MD, Annette M. Pham, MD, Melanie Wilson Seybt, MD, and Marc G. Dubin, MD

The spirit of private practice in otolaryngology has proven itself to be alive and well over the past two years. According to a recent survey by the American Medical Association, more than 40% of physicians in the United States remain in independent, non-employed practice environments. This number has been slowly shrinking as physicians find it increasingly difficult to sustain themselves in the face of expanding corporate and health system influence on medicine across the U.S. These independent physicians, however, remain strong and committed to the ideals of private practice and patient care. They continue to practice medicine in the fashion and manner they desire as owners of their practice.

The founding goal of the AAO-HNS Private Practice Study Group (PPSG) has been to support the unique needs of private practice physicians through education, networking, and advocacy. In pursuit of this goal, the PPSG sponsored five education sessions at the AAO-HNSF 2022 Annual Meeting & OTO Experience in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The PPSG has also hosted four webinars throughout 2022 and 2023 on a wide range of topics, including, “The No Surprises Act: What Does It Mean to You?,” “Finding Your Happy Place: Current Practice Paradigms in Otolaryngology 2023,” “Employee Retention, Metrics for Measuring the Success of Your Practice,” and ”Maintaining a Viable Hearing Aid Dispensing Program in the OTC/TPA Era.” 

The PPSG also works to open the eyes of our medical students and otolaryngology residents to the opportunities available in private practice throughout the U.S. Many of our physicians engage in the education programming of their local academic departments through grand rounds and resident rotations. Our physicians also provide mentorship and shadowing opportunities for medical students interested in pursuing careers in otolaryngology. 

Since its founding in summer 2021, the PPSG has grown from the dream of a handful of dedicated physicians to over 680 members strong. The PPSG represents physicians in a variety of practice settings from solo practice to large groups, rural to urban center, and from early-career to nearing retirement. Each imbued with the entrepreneurial spirit that helped make private physicians practice the bedrock of our medical system.

October 2023 marks the official graduation of the PPSG to an AAO-HNS Section, pending approval by the AAO-HNS Board of Directors, at which point we anticipate to be the newly named Otolaryngology Private Practice Section (OPPS). We welcome all those in private practice who are attending the AAO-HNSF 2023 Annual Meeting & OTO Experience in Nashville, Tennessee, to join us for the momentous event of the Private Practice Session on Monday, October 2, 2023, at 4:45 pm (CT). The meeting will include a discussion of our education agenda for the upcoming year and laying plans for our long-term strategic goals. 

In addition to anticipating the session that will serve as the first General Assembly of the OPPS, we are also proud to once again present a diverse offering of education sessions at the upcoming 2023 Annual Meeting in Nashville. We look forward to seeing you all there.

PPSG Sponsored Sessions

Challenges of Private Practice Economics: Strategies to Expand Your Practice
Monday, October 2 at 1:45 pm (CT)
Moderator: Douglas D. Reh, MD
Panelists: Marc G. Dubin, MD, Basheer Alismail, Moshe Ephrat, MD

Employee Engagement and Retention: Practical Preparation for Workforce Challenges
Monday, October 2 at 1:45 pm (CT)
Panelists: David E. Melon, Sarah Laughlin COMP-C, Jim Fedio, Gene C. Liu, MD

Practice Aggregation and Value Creation: Three Different Growth Models
Tuesday, October 3 at 8:00 am (CT)
Moderator: Neil Hockstein, MD
Panelists: Marc G. Dubin, MD, David M. Yen, MD

Finding Your Happy Place: Current Practice Paradigms in Otolaryngology 2023 (cosponsored with Medical Students)
Tuesday, October 3 at 9:15 am (CT)
Moderator: Krishna G. Patel, MD, PhD
Panelists: Melanie Wilson Seybt, MD, Mary T. Mitskavich, MD

Understanding Practice Vitals: Metrics to Maximize Success
Tuesday, October 3 at 9:15 am (ET)
Moderator: Dan R. Gold, MD
Panelists: J. Pablo Stolovitzky, MD, Annette M. Pham, MD

Navigating Private Practice Life Knowing What I Know Now (cosponsored with the Section for Residents and Fellows-in-Training)
Wednesday, October 4 at 9:15 am (CT)
Moderator: Wesley Stepp, MD, PhD
Panelists: Melanie Wilson Seybt, MD, Michael W. Sicard, MD, Manan Shah, MD

Coffee Talk with the PPSG
Monday, October 2 from 10:15 – 11:15 am (CT)
Tuesday, October 3 from 10:15 – 11:15 am (CT)

In 2022 the PPSG Coffee Talks were referred to as Business Solutions Breakfast with the Private Practice Study Group. They were widely attended and demonstrated to be an important way to connect those in private practice to discuss common challenges and opportunities. Below are some photos from these 2022 Annual Meeting events. Be sure to add the Coffee Talks to your 2023 Annual Meeting schedule!