Published: November 4, 2015

Those who can do more, volunteer

Most of us are used to a very specific type of work. Whether we are working in a clinic, a hospital, or an operating room, we are used to applying certain otolaryngologic skills every day. We learned those skills in medical school and in training, and keep them fresh with CME activities. We advance our careers because we become great at these skills. As a group, we are self-motivated and highly capable learners. Otolaryngology residency applicant personality types1 show us to be primarily extroverted, thinking, and judging. We become, and stay, busy in our practices and in our families.

sujanaMost of us are used to a very specific type of work. Whether we are working in a clinic, a hospital, or an operating room, we are used to applying certain otolaryngologic skills every day. We learned those skills in medical school and in training, and keep them fresh with CME activities. We advance our careers because we become great at these skills. As a group, we are self-motivated and highly capable learners. Otolaryngology residency applicant personality types1 show us to be primarily extroverted, thinking, and judging. We become, and stay, busy in our practices and in our families.

But every now and then, even the busiest person runs the risk of becoming insular and needs a new challenge. Challenges can be humbling, but they allow us to strive for further excellence. Committee service is such an opportunity. The best committees are those with representation from each personality type: visionaries (intuiting thinking), idealists (intuiting feeling), conductors (sensing judging) and troubleshooters (sensing perceiving)2, and that is the case with our Academy and Foundation committees. Since 1999, I’ve served on a number of scientific, programmatic, and practice-related committees and task forces. Some were “easier” than others, but I found all the work rewarding.

Some otolaryngologists say that they are too busy for committee service. We are all, indeed, very busy—clinical practice is very demanding, research is very time consuming, there are never-ending administrative issues, and trying to adapt to all the new rules can seem exhausting. But, as President Thomas Jefferson said, “May I never get too busy in my own affairs that I fail to respond to the needs of others.” We have all heard the phrase that the way to get something done is to give it to a busy person. Dr. Jonas Salk said it this way, “I feel the greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more.”

Others may feel that they are not the highest-level experts or cannot contribute meaningfully to a committee’s deliberations. Pshaw, I say. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was a bit more eloquent: “Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. … You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace.”

Serving on an AAO-HNS/F committee takes time that is worth finding, for the annual in-person meetings and the work that is done offline. It helps you discover and hone different skills than you normally use. You get to meet other otolaryngologists and develop your own leadership potential. And, of course, the work of the committees helps all of us provide the best in otolaryngologic care.

I had the difficult and very rewarding task of making the committee assignments this year. The number of otolaryngologists of all ages and from all types of practice situations who want to serve is extraordinary, and I tried to ensure that as many as possible got the chance. I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Susan D. McCammon, MD, the Chair of the Academy’s Ethics Committee, and to the Academy’s own staff, who spent hours and hours of time and effort on this Herculean task with me. No process is perfect, and I also thank the Academy Members who reached out to me on behalf of themselves and others during this process. Actress and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn said, “If you ever need a helping hand, it is at the end of your arm. As you get older you must remember you have a second hand. The first one is to help yourself. The second hand is to help others.” It is heartwarming to see how many of us make use of that second hand.

This column is dedicated to those of our Members who have carved out time from their busy schedules to serve all of us and our patients by participating on committees. Thank you.

 

References

  1. Zardouz S, German MA, Wu EC, Djalilian HR. Personality types of otolaryngology resident applicants as described by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2011 May;144(5):714-8.
  2. www.umcom.org/learn/how -to-use-personality-tests-to-create-balanced-teams
More from November 2015 - Vol. 34, No. 10
AAO-HNSF publishes methodology for developing clinical consensus statements
Since 2010, the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) has published five clinical consensus statements (CCSs) in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, including: Diagnosis and Management of Nasal Valve Compromise (2010); CT Imaging Indications for Paranasal Sinus Disease (2012); Tracheostomy Care (2012); Pediatric Chronic Rhinosinusitis (2014); and this month Septoplasty with or without Inferior Turbinoplasty (2015). The CCS development manual supplement also appears in this month’s issue. The manual describes the methodology used by the AAO-HNSF to promote rapid and consistent development of CCSs when the evidence is lacking for development of a clinical practice guideline (CPG). A CCS integrates structured expert opinions with the existing literature to try and provide some clarification on points that are quality improvement opportunities related to a particular topic. In contrast to CPGs, which are based primarily on high-level evidence, clinical consensus statements are more applicable to situations where evidence is limited or lacking, yet there are still opportunities to reduce uncertainty and improve quality of care. Much like the AAO-HNSF Clinical Practice Guideline Development Manual, Third Edition: A Quality-Driven Approach for Translating Evidence into Action, which has now been cited 119 times, the goal of the Clinical Consensus Statement Development Manual is to provide readers with the detailed methodology used by the AAO-HNSF to develop its clinical consensus statements. Publication of the manual facilitates transparency of the AAO-HNSF process and also provides a tool for other organizations to replicate our process. In summary, the AAO-HNSF utilizes a modified Delphi Survey Method to develop its CCSs. The Delphi Method involves using multiple anonymous surveys to assess for objective consensus within an expert panel. This rigorous and standardized approach minimized bias and facilitated content expert consensus. While the CCS development manual contains specific practices relevant to the AAO-HNSF, we believe that the principles explained therein will be a valuable tool for our Members, the subspecialty societies, and to external organizations as well. Comparison of key characteristics of consensus statements vs. guidelines* Characteristic Clinical consensus statement Clinical practice guideline Primary output Statements of fact based on best evidence and expert consensus Recommendations for action based on best evidence and explicit consideration of benefits, harms, values, and preferences Level of evidence Observational studies and expert consensus; higher levels of evidence when available Systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials; lower level evidence as needed for research gaps Size of development group 8 to 10; possibly more 15 to 20 Composition of development group Otolaryngologists; content experts a majority; may include other disciplines as needed Multidisciplinary, including consumers; content experts a minority; includes all stakeholders in the target audience Perspective of development group member Member serves as a content expert based on individual knowledge and experience Member advocates for the discipline or constituency they were appointed to represent Time frame 6 to 8 months 12 to 18 months Meeting venues Conference calls and electronic mail In-person meetings, conference calls, and electronic mail External review Limited review by relevant stakeholders Extensive review by all stakeholders, including open public comment *From the AAO-HNSF Clinical Consensus Statement Development Manual (2015). (In press)
2016 committee application opens November 1
Want to get more involved with your Academy? Apply to become a committee Member! The 2016 application cycle will open on November 1 and close on January 1, 2016.
Call for 2016 AAO-HNS election candidates
The Nominating Committee of the Academy is calling for recommendations of individuals to be considered for an AAO-HNS elective office.  Academy Member(s) must be in good standing, have proven leadership qualities, be active in the Academy, be familiar with the strategic direction of the Academy, and be able to dedicate the necessary time to serve.
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Teamwork
The following are the committee rosters of the Academy and Foundation, grouped by their clusters. These are all Members, unless otherwise noted who were appointed to terms October 1, 2015, as well as those continuing their service. The number following each name indicates the end of their term.
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Leadership opportunity: State Trackers for 2016
The AAO-HNS thanks its Member-volunteer State Trackers for their dedicated efforts during the 2015 state legislative sessions to effectively monitor issues and trends important to the specialty, your practices, and your patients.
Deadline for new tech applications
Looking to apply for a new or revised CPT code? As specified by the “AAO-HNS New Technology Pathway Requests Policies and Procedures” document (www.entnet.org/New-Tech-Policies-and-Procedures), the AAO-HNS New or Revised CPT Code Application is required to be submitted to the Academy 180 days prior to the AMA CPT Proposal submission deadline. The next Academy deadline is December 29, 2015.
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Access information anywhere with Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery app
Print, online, and mobile—research can and should be available in multiple formats to meet the varying needs of our readership. This is why Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery is available to you through a free mobile app.
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Humanitarian mission trip to Cameroon
I recently had the opportunity of a lifetime to participate in a two-week otolaryngology mission trip to Mbingo Baptist Hospital, Cameroon, with my mentor, Wayne M. Koch, MD, in April 2015. Dr. Koch has a long-standing relationship wth Mbingo Baptist Hospital (MBH) and travels there a number of times a year.
Why are RUC surveys important?
Your help is needed. The Academy needs experts three times a year to fill out RUC surveys for the American Medical Association (AMA) Specialty Society/Relative Value Update Committee.
Development of a professional code of conduct in an academic otolaryngology departmentExpanded from the print edition
Otolaryngology departments are increasingly becoming aware of the critical importance of professionalism in the academic medical setting.1 Growing evidence is showing that lack of civility in the workplace harms patient safety, employee satisfaction, and the broader institutional mission. Literature from other medical departments and from fields outside medicine suggests that a formalized written code of conduct is an effective method of clearly codifying the culture for all members of the organization, and of improving professional behavior.2
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There is an ‘I’ in team
At the heart of the word committee, both literally and figuratively, is the word commit. As former basketball coach Pat Riley said, “There are only two options regarding commitment. You’re either in or you’re out. There is no such thing as life in-between.” Ditto for a successful committee.
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Legislative Advocacy highlights from Annual Meeting
Another successful Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO(SM) has come and gone. In case you were unable to join us in Dallas, below is a brief overview of what you missed.
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Gaining public trust
Imagine that you are dependent on a system that you have been familiar with most of your life to provide preventative and life-saving care for you and your family. That system is now undergoing monumental, fast-moving changes that not even the architects or participants of the successor structure can define or explain to those who will be using it or making it work. Will you still have insurance coverage for you and your family? Will you be able to pay for the coverage and the dramatic increase in out-of-pocket costs you will be expected to pay? Well, this scenario does not require any imagination. This is what American patients are facing and will continue to face over the next three to five years.