Published: February 21, 2017

Board of Governors: The power of communication

Recently, I was watching a television show set during the reign of Louis XIV of France (1643-1715). King Louis XIV started bleeding and requested his physician. The next scene shows a gentleman at the physician’s home relaying the request and escorting her to the king. In those days, if you wanted to communicate with someone, you had to find that person and relay the message.

Susan R. Cordes, MD
Chair, BOG Legislative Affairs Committee

CordesRecently, I was watching a television show set during the reign of Louis XIV of France (1643-1715). King Louis XIV started bleeding and requested his physician. The next scene shows a gentleman at the physician’s home relaying the request and escorting her to the king. In those days, if you wanted to communicate with someone, you had to find that person and relay the message. It’s pretty safe to say that communication has come a long way, and much of that progress has been very recent. Our parents and grandparents dealt with cumbersome corded telephones and expensive long distance service, and just a generation or two removed, we carry not only a telephone but a computer with us everywhere we go. I have to remind myself sometimes that widespread internet use, mobile phones, and social media are all products of the last quarter of a century.

7942Next month, we celebrate World Voice Day, and while naturally the focus is on “Voice,” one cannot ignore the importance of “World.” Thanks in large part to ease of communication, everything we do/say/tweet has the potential to be on a global scale. Our Academy embraces the global nature of otolaryngology with a host of international programs. The International Steering Committee has regional directors responsible for communicating with International Corresponding Societies in every corner of the world. The newly formed International Advisory Board provides a structure and a voice for our valued international colleagues, and the Humanitarian Efforts Committee fosters volunteer otolaryngology in low resource settings. Any Academy Member interested in these or other international offerings is encouraged to learn about and participate in these programs.

Now more than ever, it is easy to connect with colleagues across the United States and across the globe. Involvement in international otolaryngology can be an enormously rewarding experience. It is exciting to share ideas and learn from our colleagues around the world. I personally had the good fortune to attend the All Africa ENT and Audiology Congress in Rwanda last year, which provided the opportunity to learn about otolaryngology across the African continent. This year, I look forward to the exciting International Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (IFOS) World Congress. Paris in June—what could be better than that!

The ability to communicate is a gift.  The theme of this year’s World Voice Day is “Share Your Voice”. The Academy and the Board of Governors offer so many options for making your voice heard. Take a moment to explore those options and find the right medium for you. By using the tools we have at hand to share and connect with our colleagues in the  U.S. and abroad, we demonstrate our appreciation for that gift. In the process, we are likely to grow as otolaryngologists and human beings in ways that we may not have imagined.

More from March 2017 - Vol. 36, No. 02
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Patient Information | Frequently Asked Questions: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
There are crystals of calcium carbonate that are a normal part of our inner ear and help us with our balance and body motion. These tiny rocklike crystals or “otoconia” (oh-toe-cone-ee-uh) are settled in the center “pouch” of the inner ear. BPPV is caused by the crystals becoming “unglued” from their normal place.
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Reaching for the stars to touch lives on earth
The answers to some of our biggest challenges here on Earth may lie in the concepts we cultivate while designing human travel to planets light-years away. That is the vision of the “100 Year Starship Project,” which Mae C. Jemison, MD, the keynote speaker at the 2016 AAO-HNS Annual Meeting and OTO EXPO℠ and principal of the project’s foundation, described in scintillating detail.
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My experience at the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting
Thanks to the Harry Barnes Endowment Travel Grant, awarded through the Academy’s Diversity Committee, I had the opportunity to attend the 2016 AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO.℠  This grant helped offset costs so that I could to travel to San Diego, CA, where I presented my research, mentored medical students as they presented our common research, attended committee meetings, and networked with colleagues.
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Clinical Practice Guideline: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (Update)
The primary purpose of the update to the 2008 Clinical Practice Guideline: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo is to improve quality of care and outcomes for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) by improving the accurate and efficient diagnosis of BPPV, reducing the inappropriate use of vestibular suppressant medications, decreasing the inappropriate use of ancillary testing such as radiographic imaging, and increasing the use of appropriate therapeutic repositioning maneuvers.
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From the OREBM Committee: Publications that may change your practice
In this Bulletin series, the Outcomes Research Evidence-Based Medicine Committee (OREBM) shares highlights from recent key publications in  otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. We offer concise summaries of  significant findings that may alter current surgical practice.
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Academy toolkit for MIPS reporting in 2017
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015 created the Quality Payment Program (QPP), containing two pathways for participation: the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM) program.
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Academy, Anthem collaborate on new diagnostic fiberoptic flexible laryngoscopy policy
Thanks to Academy physician leaders’ comments and clinical recommendations, Anthem revised clinical coverage indications in their new diagnostic fiberoptic flexible laryngoscopy (FFL) medical policy.
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Voice Committee members offer responses to patients’ most common questions on voice care
Featuring questions by Libby J. Smith, MD, with answers by Sid Khosla, MD; Norman D. Hogikyan, MD; Julina Ongkasuwan, MD; Jeanne L. Hatcher, MD; and Reena Gupta, MD
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From the AAO-HNS Voice Committee: Share your voice
According to the United States Census Bureau, as of December 30, 2016, the estimated population of the U.S. was more than 300 million, with the world population estimated at over seven billion. These more than seven billion human beings on our planet share their unique voices to creatively express emotion, inspire change, engage in conversation, and foster understanding.
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Board of Governors Socioeconomic & Grassroots Committee: Emergency room call survey results
While there has been a significant shift to outpatient locations for much of the scope of otolaryngology, many hospitals and institutions still require provision of emergency services as a requirement of medical staff membership.
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Alphabet Soup: Acronyms you need to know
Ever read an article, have a conversation, or watch a news program that includes myriad acronyms that cause a “what does that mean” moment? Get some answers by reviewing the compilation of acronyms below.
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Speaking up for physician well-being
The American Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) recently released recommendations related to the 80-hour work week for resident trainees.
Gregory W. Randolph, MD, AAO-HNS/F Past President
The otolaryngologist as endocrine surgeon
Otolaryngology is an amazingly diverse specialty, extending from medical treatment of allergies to a wide-range of pediatrics, and from otology/neurotology/skull base surgery to head-neck surgery, and now, thyroid and parathyroid endocrine surgery of the neck. One must keep in mind the high prevalence of hyperparathyroidism in our patient population.