Published: February 23, 2016

PROJECT 535: a unique advocacy opportunity

PROJECT 535 will help establish a “grasstops” database of voting physicians who are willing to act when the specialty must collectively advocate on national issues, including scope of practice, truth in advertising, medical liability reform, GME funding, and Medicare reimbursement.

washdcThe AAO-HNS, in collaboration with the Board of Governors, is recruiting Academy Members as “key contacts” for each Congressional district—435 in the U.S. House of Representatives and 100 in the U.S. Senate. PROJECT 535 will help establish a “grasstops” database of voting physicians who are willing to act when the specialty must collectively advocate on national issues, including scope of practice, truth in advertising, medical liability reform, GME funding, and Medicare reimbursement.

project535logoInterested, but unsure of the time commitment? PROJECT 535 advocates will be contacted by Academy staff when an issue of concern is being considered on Capitol Hill. The message will contain instructions, email addresses, and a pre-written message for PROJECT 535 participants to use when contacting their assigned Member(s) of Congress.

While we are more than 30 percent to PROJECT 535’s goal of full Congressional coverage, with the 2016 legislative session underway, volunteers may still be needed in your state and/or Congressional District.

To sign up, contact the AAO-HNS Legislative Advocacy team at govtaffairs@entnet.org. If you are unsure of your Congressional District, we can help. Although our specialty is small in numbers, a few minutes of your time can ensure every Member of Congress hears our voice!

 

 

More from March 2016 - Vol. 35, No. 02
voicevideo
Q & A with the Voice Committee
Want to offer your patients some timely advice on taking care of their voices for World Voice Day? Three AAO-HNS Voice Committee Members offer answers to questions you may hear in clinic
2016 World Voice Day Art
Download the World Voice Day 2016 poster
Share this poster with your patients and spread the word about the importance of a healthy voice.
voice
Vocal tips to ‘explore’
Vocal conditions arise from a variety of sources including vocal overuse or misuse, cancer, infection, or injury. Here are some tips to keep your voice healthy as you “explore your voice” through life.
voicegroup
Explore the voices of your patients
As physicians, we are called to care for our patients. As otolaryngologists, that care encompasses many complaints: sinus disease, hearing loss, and head and neck cancer, amongst others. On this April 16, World Voice Day, I encourage you to embrace the WVD theme and “explore” the voice of your patients.
imaging
FROM THE OREBM COMMITTEEPublications that may change your practice
In this Bulletin article, the Outcomes Research Evidence-Based Medicine (OREBM) Committee shares highlights from a recent key publication in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. We offer concise summaries of significant findings that may alter current surgical practice.
Print
The value of membership
Value. Lately everyone is insisting on it, from value-based healthcare to value-added mobile data family plans. With so many options available to us, we’re right to insist on value, including in our professional association memberships.
academyubooklet
AcademyU® Education Opportunities
The new AcademyU® Education Opportunities can be found with this issue of the Bulletin.
simulation
New task forces focus on education
By Sonya Malekzadeh, MD, AAO-HNSF former Coordinator for Education The AAO-HNS/F has assembled four education task forces to address important issues concerning our Members and the profession. I am honored to be involved in many of these efforts and to serve as chair for two of these groups. The Simulation Task Force was formed in 2011 to define the current state of simulation, to investigate its role and future potential in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, and to provide educational resources for AAO-HNS Members. Under the leadership of Ellen S. Deutsch, MD, the Simulation Task Force has accomplished: Initiation of Simulation Open Forums, at both the Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings (COSM) and the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPOSM, has brought together like-minded individuals to discuss interests, challenges, and opportunities in simulation. An active ENTConnect community engages simulation Members in ongoing collaboration and exploration. Launch of the SimTube Project, a national initiative for simulation-based educational research with the immediate goal of assessing the usefulness of a low-cost, low-tech simulator in learning myringotomy and tube placement, and the larger goal of establishing an infrastructure that could support multiprogram collaboration for more complex simulation-based educational research in the future. More than 60 U.S. residency programs now participate in the study. Numerous Annual Meeting Miniseminars highlighting current education efforts and advanced technology in simulation while also demonstrating the value of simulation in quality of care and systems improvement. Recognizing the expanding role of simulation in education, research, and quality, the task force has recently submitted an application to become a Foundation committee. This new designation will permit a formal and permanent structure for furthering Member opportunities and engagement. Dr. Deutsch and Gregory J. Wiet, MD, will chair the committee. The Comprehensive Curriculum Task Force stemmed from the 2013 Board of Directors Strategic Planning meeting where Academy leadership acknowledged the need for a core curriculum in otolaryngology. The Otolaryngology Comprehensive Curriculum will serve as a lifelong, continually expanding learning and assessment tool for otolaryngology professionals. The content and structure will meet the needs of students, residents, allied health colleagues, and all practicing physicians engaged in MOC and lifelong learning. The online format will cover the otolaryngology scope of knowledge, provided in various educational formats, to guide and address cognitive and technical skills. The “living” content will be kept current with frequent updates so users can be assured they are participating in a rich and growing educational program. The task force believes this to be an ideal opportunity to unite the specialties around education, reduce duplicative efforts across societies, and to provide a comprehensive education platform for our specialty. A working group comprised of society representatives is finalizing a list of topics and performing an inventory of all existing education content across the specialties. This information will inform the development of future education programming. The Intraoperative Nerve Monitoring Task Force, in existence since fall 2015, will address key issues relevant to facial nerve monitoring during otologic and neuro-otologic surgery. With representation from the American Neurotology Society (ANS) and the American Otological Society (AOS), the task force will focus on: Determining current practice in training and performance of nerve monitoring among Academy Members and Residency Program Directors. Developing education activities that will provide uniform and standardized training for otolaryngologists to safely and successfully perform the procedure. Clarifying the AAO-HNS/F perspective on intraoperative nerve monitoring within the specialty. AAO-HNS President Sujana S. Chandrasekhar, MD, proposed the latest group, Advanced Practice Professionals (APP) Education Task Force. With the growing presence of mid-level providers in otolaryngology practices, it is imperative that we provide our colleagues with proper education and training in our field. These efforts will improve their contributions to our practices and patients while also educating AAO-HNS Members on the benefits of including APPs in the profession. In collaboration with the APP societies, including SPAO-HNS, the task force will design educational programing and provide resources that will allow advanced practice providers and otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons to work synergistically to improve patient care. “I have every confidence that this task force will put together a comprehensive ENT APP curriculum, utilizing many Academy resources. Establishing such an educational outline will really help our Members as they seek to incorporate APPs into their practices” said Dr. Chandrasekhar. Karen T. Pitman, MD, and Peter D. Costantino, MD, will serve as chairs of this new task force. Academy task force Members are working hard on topics critical to the Academy and the profession. “These education task forces really complement the work of the education committees by addressing new and innovative education opportunities for our Members,” said Richard V. Smith, MD, coordinator for Education. If you are interested in more information or contributing to any of these projects please email academyu@entnet.org.
honduras
Hope and hearing for Honduran villages
Arriving at the airport in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, our group—60 Americans in yellow shirts with “More than Medicine” written on them—was certainly easy to locate. With people arriving from Texas, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and several other states, the excitement level was high for the upcoming eight-day mission to Guaimaca.
Ken Yanagisawa
Human voice transmits emotion, clarity
According to the U.S. Census, there are 7.3 billion people in the world, and 322 million in the United States.1 More than 7 billion human voices speak and exchange ideas with one another each day.
Aao Hnsf Awards
Call for Jerome C. Goldstein, MD, Public Service Award nominees
The Jerome C. Goldstein, MD, Public Service Award is given annually to recognize an outstanding Member for his or her commitment and achievement in service within the United States, either to the public or to other organizations, when such service promises to improve patient welfare.
hearingaid
AMA HOUSE OF DELEGATES REPORTIssues affecting otolaryngology
The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates (HOD) held its November 2015 Interim Meeting in Atlanta, GA. Representing the Academy were Liana Puscas, MD, MHS, delegation chair; delegates Michael S. Goldrich, MD, and Shannon P. Pryor, MD; alternate delegates Robert Puchalski, MD, and Academy EVP/CEO, James C. Denneny III, MD.
James C. Denneny III, MD, AAO-HNS/F EVP/CEO
Collaboration among specialties
As we prepare for World Voice Day, April 16, I am reminded how important it is to speak with an informed and thoughtful voice. As otolaryngologists we have recognized on many occasions the value of working together within our specialty and speaking with one voice when possible to maximize our influence to effect a desired goal.
Sujana S. Chandrasekhar, MD AAO-HNS/F Past President
Halftime report
March finds me at the halfway point in my presidential year and the three-year cycle that encompasses it. Now is a good time to reflect on that process, and on what has been done, will be done, and the people who are doing it.