Published: December 8, 2014

We Are United in Our Diverse Field

With our new Bulletin publication schedule, the December and January issues are consolidated so we can simultaneously say goodbye to 2014 and move on to 2015. More importantly, this expanded issue can accommodate information that will be valuable to Members throughout the coming year, as we continue “Transforming, Thriving, Together.”

Gayle E. Woodson, MD, AAO-HNS/F PresidentGayle E. Woodson, MD, AAO-HNS/F President

With our new Bulletin publication schedule, the December and January issues are consolidated so we can simultaneously say goodbye to 2014 and move on to 2015. More importantly, this expanded issue can accommodate information that will be valuable to Members throughout the coming year, as we continue “Transforming, Thriving, Together.” See online coverage of valuable committee work for instance.

Together is a key word. The AAO-HNS supports the common interests of all otolaryngologists. Although there is significant variation in our practice settings and the areas of our specialty in which we focus, we all face the challenges of practicing in our evolving healthcare system. United, we are strong.

There is growing concern among Members that the increasing trend of subspecialization threatens the unity of otolaryngology. This is a legitimate concern. Other specialties have been significantly influenced by subspecialization. For example, general surgeons are increasingly restricted to a narrow range of practice, and the field has been carved out into domains including thoracic, vascular, colorectal, and increasingly, breast surgery. To date, otolaryngology has not been so severely fragmented.

Most general otolaryngologists have a broad spectrum of practice. Medical students are still attracted to the field because they like the broad range of practice that includes adults and children. As I reviewed the results of our recent membership survey, I noted there were more declarations of subspecialties than there were respondents to the survey. This is because many general otolaryngologists rightly lay claim to their training as multiple subspecialists. Take a look at your certificate. If you were certified after 1998, it states that you were certified in general otolaryngology, otology, facial plastic surgery, head and neck surgery, and pediatric otolaryngology. If your certificate does not say that, you can request a new version that does accurately reflect your training.

Pediatric otolaryngology seems to be the most problematic issue at present. More children’s hospitals and pediatric healthcare networks are appearing. The administrators of these facilities and the pediatricians who are the primary caregivers favor otolaryngologists who have done pediatric otolaryngology fellowships, even for common procedures such as tonsillectomies.

The Academy is committed to supporting the qualification of ALL physicians certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology (ABOto) to provide expert care to children and plans to launch a public relations and educational campaign, working in collaboration with ABOto and the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO). The goal is for us to collectively continue thriving, as physicians who have chosen one of the most diverse and rewarding career paths in the field of medicine.

More from December 2014/January 2015 - Vol. 33 No.12
07_the-ENT-Team
Honduras: Torticollis Repair and More
I attended a weeklong mission trip to the Baptist Hospital in Guaimaca, Honduras, with the Baptist Medical and Dental Mission International. The rural town of Guaimaca has a population of around 25,000, with another 300,000 living in the surrounding mountains.
07_Post-op-clinicDomRep_3
Mission Trip to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Earlier this year, I traveled to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, with a group of surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and staff under the auspices of Medical Aid for the Children of Latin America (MACLA).
CPT Changes for 2015: What ENTs Need to Know
As the medical community has come to expect, part of the annual rulemaking process conducted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) includes the new and modified CPT codes, developed by the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Editorial Panel.
Orlando Recap: a Resident’s Perspective – ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
This year, more than 1,000 residents and fellows-in-training attended the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPOSM in Orlando. Through the generosity of the AAO-HNS, 127 of these residents received Resident Leadership Grants (RLG) to defer the cost of attending the meeting.
Modeling How Committees Influence the Specialty
Four AAO-HNS/F committees have been named Model Committees based on their accomplishments since the 2013 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPOSM. The Model Committee Award recognizes committees that contribute in ways that lead to the overall success of the AAO-HNS/F vision: empowering otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons to deliver the best patient care.
Figure 1: Geography of Ebola Virus (Filoviridae family). Written permission was secured from the Viralzone, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (11/19/2014) for the use of the above figure in illustrating the special features of the Ebola Virus.
The Manifestations of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Ear, Nose, And Throat, Head And Neck
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak is a public health emergency of significant international concern. The World Health Organization estimates we will see more than 10,000 new Ebola cases each week in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia by the end of the year.
The Three A’s Revisited
As the holidays pass so quickly signaling the completion of yet another year, we pause and reflect.
David R. Nielsen, MD AAO-HNS/F EVP/CEO
Saying “Thank You”
As I depart the Academy and say, “thank you,” I feel the need to recognize others whose influences on my life have been profound. First, my parents and siblings. I am one of 11 children—five older and five younger—eight of whom are still living, and they bless my life in indescribable ways.