Get Involved in Your Academy—2013 BOG Spring Meeting & OTO Advocacy Summit
Stacey L. Ishman, MD, MPH BOG, Member-at-Large The future of healthcare and our role in it has never seemed more uncertain. Acronyms abound with ACA, ACOs, SGR, IPAB, PQRI, and the list continues. Luckily, we have the Academy’s resources to interpret the alphabet soup and help us discern where we need to focus our limited time and resources. Just as important, our Academy is constantly working for us whether we have the time to notice or not. It lobbies on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, pays attention to bills that affect us in every state legislature, and works to represent our interests to insurance companies, guideline development organizations, and the media. There are myriad options for involvement, including support of the Academy through our dues, committee work, and the Millennium Society. In addition, everyone is invited to participate in the Board of Governors (BOG) meetings, which occur twice a year and address the legislative and socioeconomic issues affecting our practices and our patients. ENT PAC, the AAO-HNS political action committee, has also been critical in representing our interests with its bipartisan support of federal candidates. Impressively, 90 percent of the legislators supported by ENT PAC have been re-elected, reflecting the work the ENT PAC board and staff have done to ensure that we support candidates who can effectively advance the interests of otolaryngology. For those who want to be directly involved in these discussions, the Academy is happy to direct and support you in the process. The Academy will again sponsor the BOG Spring Meeting & OTO Advocacy Summit, which will take place Sunday, May 5, through Tuesday, May 7, in Alexandria, VA, and Washington, DC. This joint conference provides opportunities to network with our grassroots colleagues and explore timely issues in interactive sessions specifically geared to our members’ interests, whether they are a resident/fellow, young physician, in private practice, in academia, or serving in the military. Attendees will also receive advocacy training, education about the legislative process and the current legislation affecting us at the federal level, and be able to lobby our legislators. I have participated since my residency and have found the experience incredibly gratifying. The training sessions have served me well on the Hill and in my department chair’s office. I also have been able to better understand the alphabet soup and its effect on my practice and medicine in general. For anyone who has not participated, I cannot emphasize enough what a fantastic opportunity this is to learn about the legislative process while having access to the giants in our field. In addition, this meeting is coordinated with the meetings of the Board of Directors and Board of Governors to facilitate participation and access. If you are not able to attend the OTO Advocacy Summit, consider becoming involved in the ENT Advocacy Network, which includes nearly 1,700 members. While only 15 percent of all U.S. Academy members are members of the Network, more than 3,700 emails were sent to legislators this year through the network. Please consider joining us in the effort. February is also when we have traditionally celebrated and publicized our care of children with otolaryngic issues. Kids E.N.T. Health is designed to offer parents and caregivers the latest information about the care, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric ear, nose, and throat disorders. Past campaigns have focused on ear tube placement and sleep-disordered breathing. Journalist resources include legislative information, Academy information, patient health information, scientific meeting information, policy statements, and patient fact sheets. This information can be used to publicize your practice and advance the public understanding of pediatric otolaryngology care. Please consider participating in the process, whether through participation in the BOG Spring Meeting & OTO Advocacy Summit, the ENT Advocacy Network, or by providing public outreach and publicity through your local media outlets. I hope to see you at the 2013 Board of Governors Spring Meeting & OTO Advocacy Summit. Note: To get involved or find out more, go to www.entnet.org/getinvolved.
Stacey L. Ishman, MD, MPH
BOG, Member-at-Large
The future of healthcare and our role in it has never seemed more uncertain. Acronyms abound with ACA, ACOs, SGR, IPAB, PQRI, and the list continues. Luckily, we have the Academy’s resources to interpret the alphabet soup and help us discern where we need to focus our limited time and resources. Just as important, our Academy is constantly working for us whether we have the time to notice or not. It lobbies on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, pays attention to bills that affect us in every state legislature, and works to represent our interests to insurance companies, guideline development organizations, and the media.
There are myriad options for involvement, including support of the Academy through our dues, committee work, and the Millennium Society. In addition, everyone is invited to participate in the Board of Governors (BOG) meetings, which occur twice a year and address the legislative and socioeconomic issues affecting our practices and our patients.
ENT PAC, the AAO-HNS political action committee, has also been critical in representing our interests with its bipartisan support of federal candidates. Impressively, 90 percent of the legislators supported by ENT PAC have been re-elected, reflecting the work the ENT PAC board and staff have done to ensure that we support candidates who can effectively advance the interests of otolaryngology.
For those who want to be directly involved in these discussions, the Academy is happy to direct and support you in the process. The Academy will again sponsor the BOG Spring Meeting & OTO Advocacy Summit, which will take place Sunday, May 5, through Tuesday, May 7, in Alexandria, VA, and Washington, DC. This joint conference provides opportunities to network with our grassroots colleagues and explore timely issues in interactive sessions specifically geared to our members’ interests, whether they are a resident/fellow, young physician, in private practice, in academia, or serving in the military. Attendees will also receive advocacy training, education about the legislative process and the current legislation affecting us at the federal level, and be able to lobby our legislators. I have participated since my residency and have found the experience incredibly gratifying. The training sessions have served me well on the Hill and in my department chair’s office. I also have been able to better understand the alphabet soup and its effect on my practice and medicine in general. For anyone who has not participated, I cannot emphasize enough what a fantastic opportunity this is to learn about the legislative process while having access to the giants in our field. In addition, this meeting is coordinated with the meetings of the Board of Directors and Board of Governors to facilitate participation and access.
If you are not able to attend the OTO Advocacy Summit, consider becoming involved in the ENT Advocacy Network, which includes nearly 1,700 members. While only 15 percent of all U.S. Academy members are members of the Network, more than 3,700 emails were sent to legislators this year through the network. Please consider joining us in the effort.
February is also when we have traditionally celebrated and publicized our care of children with otolaryngic issues. Kids E.N.T. Health is designed to offer parents and caregivers the latest information about the care, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric ear, nose, and throat disorders. Past campaigns have focused on ear tube placement and sleep-disordered breathing. Journalist resources include legislative information, Academy information, patient health information, scientific meeting information, policy statements, and patient fact sheets. This information can be used to publicize your practice and advance the public understanding of pediatric otolaryngology care.
Please consider participating in the process, whether through participation in the BOG Spring Meeting & OTO Advocacy Summit, the ENT Advocacy Network, or by providing public outreach and publicity through your local media outlets. I hope to see you at the 2013 Board of Governors Spring Meeting & OTO Advocacy Summit.
Note: To get involved or find out more, go to www.entnet.org/getinvolved.