Using Our Voices to Connect on Grassroot Initiatives
To promote World Voice Day, April 16, many of our BOG state and local societies have successfully petitioned their state legislators to formally recognize the day. The voice is vitally important to our patients and ourselves as practitioners, allowing us all the ability to communicate, educate, and entertain. The evolution of our ability to diagnose and treat voice disorders has certainly accelerated during the last several decades. Technological innovations have continually improved our ability to visualize the larynx and measure physiologic functions involved in voice production. Endoscope images with stroboscopic capabilities can now be seen in high definition, making the diagnosis of even the most subtle mucosal abnormality easier than before. Our ability to perform in-office diagnostic and therapeutic procedures has also improved with these technologic advances, and we routinely perform biopsies, laryngeal EMGs, medialization laryngoplasty injections, and laser treatment of laryngeal lesions under local anesthesia. Perhaps the most congenial development has been that the comprehensive care of the voice-disordered patient has led to a significant partnership between the otolaryngologist, the speech pathologist, and vocal pedagogues. Many voice centers can provide expert evaluation of the functional issues involved in many voice disorders and develop a team approach to the resolution of each patient’s voice disorder. This successful collaboration between the otolaryngologist and the allied healthcare provider has required a complete understanding of the roles of each member of the voice care team, which has resulted in the best patient care experience. The ability to work together toward the goal of optimum vocal care ensures that voices will continue to be heard. This metaphor is one that now needs to be applied to the House of Medicine. Affordable Care Act As this column is being written, we have just postponed the “fiscal cliff,” but still have no definitive answer to the many fiscal questions that desperately need answers such as the upcoming debt ceiling, underfunded entitlement programs, etc. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is now in full swing with many states still trying to find their way in this new healthcare world. The meaningful use incentives are now in effect and many, if not most, of our practices have implemented electronic medical records as we work to meet the criteria for incentive payments. During the next several years, we will see these incentives turn into penalties for those not on board. The near future will also mean the introduction of quality metrics that will also result in penalties if these parameters are not measured and met. There are many aspects of the ACA that we as your BOG of the AAO-HNS are working to amend to allow us to maintain our ability to take outstanding care of our patients. The legislative arm of the AAO-HNS has been working with our colleagues from the House of Medicine to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) from the ACA as it allows payment decisions for medical expenditures to be influenced by non-elected officials. Many fellows of the AAO-HNS signed a “Declaration of Independence” from the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate Formula this past September in Washington, DC. In this document we collectively raised our voices on this particular issue, and we plan to continue this fight during this current legislative session. This is a battle that requires as many voices as we can muster. We, the BOG, are asking for your help! Spring Meeting and Advocacy Summit The 2013 BOG Spring Meeting & OTO Advocacy Summit of the AAO-HNS will be taking place May 5-7 in Alexandria, VA. This meeting will immediately follow the Academy’s Boards of Directors meeting on May 4. Visits with our individual Members of Congress’ offices will take place nearby on Capitol Hill on May 7. I strongly encourage all Academy members, especially our new members and resident members in-training, to invest your time in these meetings. The BOG Spring Meeting will include useful practice information with talks on quality measures, and the changes scheduled to occur with ICD-10. The OTO Advocacy Summit will educate you on current issues being considered on Capitol Hill as we hear from several legislators. We will also discuss talking points for our meetings with our representatives. The stakes for our patients and us as practitioners has never been so high. We need our “voices,” both as individuals and as a collective, to be heard loud and clear.

To promote World Voice Day, April 16, many of our BOG state and local societies have successfully petitioned their state legislators to formally recognize the day. The voice is vitally important to our patients and ourselves as practitioners, allowing us all the ability to communicate, educate, and entertain.
The evolution of our ability to diagnose and treat voice disorders has certainly accelerated during the last several decades. Technological innovations have continually improved our ability to visualize the larynx and measure physiologic functions involved in voice production. Endoscope images with stroboscopic capabilities can now be seen in high definition, making the diagnosis of even the most subtle mucosal abnormality easier than before. Our ability to perform in-office diagnostic and therapeutic procedures has also improved with these technologic advances, and we routinely perform biopsies, laryngeal EMGs, medialization laryngoplasty injections, and laser treatment of laryngeal lesions under local anesthesia.
Perhaps the most congenial development has been that the comprehensive care of the voice-disordered patient has led to a significant partnership between the otolaryngologist, the speech pathologist, and vocal pedagogues. Many voice centers can provide expert evaluation of the functional issues involved in many voice disorders and develop a team approach to the resolution of each patient’s voice disorder. This successful collaboration between the otolaryngologist and the allied healthcare provider has required a complete understanding of the roles of each member of the voice care team, which has resulted in the best patient care experience. The ability to work together toward the goal of optimum vocal care ensures that voices will continue to be heard. This metaphor is one that now needs to be applied to the House of Medicine.
Affordable Care Act
As this column is being written, we have just postponed the “fiscal cliff,” but still have no definitive answer to the many fiscal questions that desperately need answers such as the upcoming debt ceiling, underfunded entitlement programs, etc. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is now in full swing with many states still trying to find their way in this new healthcare world. The meaningful use incentives are now in effect and many, if not most, of our practices have implemented electronic medical records as we work to meet the criteria for incentive payments. During the next several years, we will see these incentives turn into penalties for those not on board. The near future will also mean the introduction of quality metrics that will also result in penalties if these parameters are not measured and met. There are many aspects of the ACA that we as your BOG of the AAO-HNS are working to amend to allow us to maintain our ability to take outstanding care of our patients. The legislative arm of the AAO-HNS has been working with our colleagues from the House of Medicine to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) from the ACA as it allows payment decisions for medical expenditures to be influenced by non-elected officials. Many fellows of the AAO-HNS signed a “Declaration of Independence” from the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate Formula this past September in Washington, DC. In this document we collectively raised our voices on this particular issue, and we plan to continue this fight during this current legislative session. This is a battle that requires as many voices as we can muster. We, the BOG, are asking for your help!
Spring Meeting and Advocacy Summit
The 2013 BOG Spring Meeting & OTO Advocacy Summit of the AAO-HNS will be taking place May 5-7 in Alexandria, VA. This meeting will immediately follow the Academy’s Boards of Directors meeting on May 4. Visits with our individual Members of Congress’ offices will take place nearby on Capitol Hill on May 7. I strongly encourage all Academy members, especially our new members and resident members in-training, to invest your time in these meetings. The BOG Spring Meeting will include useful practice information with talks on quality measures, and the changes scheduled to occur with ICD-10. The OTO Advocacy Summit will educate you on current issues being considered on Capitol Hill as we hear from several legislators. We will also discuss talking points for our meetings with our representatives. The stakes for our patients and us as practitioners has never been so high. We need our “voices,” both as individuals and as a collective, to be heard loud and clear.