Published: March 30, 2017

Candidate Statements | President-Elect | Albert L. Merati, MD

As your colleague and partner, I believe what you believe—that otolaryngology-head and neck surgery is a special field; that we all have the knowledge and training to help others; and that we should live a meaningful life as part of the communities we serve.

Q: In keeping with our vision statement “Empowering otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons to deliver the best patient care,” how would you engage the membership and our leaders in raising their consciousness in respect to the effect of cultural competence on improved patient outcomes? How do you see us strengthening our partnerships with industry without usurping our integrity?

Albert L. Merati, MD

Merati 1As your colleague and partner, I believe what you believe—that otolaryngology-head and neck surgery is a special field; that we all have the knowledge and training to help others; and that we should live a meaningful life as part of the communities we serve. The Strategic Plan of the AAO-HNS must provide leadership and support that is useful for all of our practices. Specialty unity matters more than ever as we continue to experience increased subspecialization within otolaryngology. As AAO-HNS president, my focus will be on the day-to-day work we all do—taking care of patients. We all sincerely want to provide ideal, efficient, and culturally sensitive care. We are, together, learning that understanding and seeking diversity is about achieving clinical excellence in patient care and in organizational decision-making—it is not just about fairness. In contrast with these ideals, we are often faced with continuing challenges to our time, the erosion of autonomy, and even some feelings of powerlessness over changes that threaten to limit our capacity to do what we believe is best.

The AAO-HNS should help maintain the high standards we set for ourselves in two important ways. Firstly, AAO-HNS will improve knowledge through discovery and education regarding the impact of cultural competence on patient outcomes in increasingly diverse populations. The otolaryngology-specific information from AAO-HNS efforts should be credible and evidenced-based; we can absolutely improve in this way, and I support this approach. Secondly, the AAO-HNS can continue to play a more significant role in our day-to-day practice. With effective, determined advocacy and leadership, the AAO-HNS must protect and preserve our members’ freedom and capacity to practice ideal medicine. When a responsible and committed physician is empowered instead of ensnared, both the patients and physicians fare better. In the long run, we can’t expect to provide culturally competent or really any sort of competent care if we can’t be the best doctors we know how to be.

Part of navigating this successful future for the AAO-HNS will be a clear-eyed understanding of industry relationships and what we want from each other: improved patient care and outcomes, innovation, the development of quality products, content exchange, and access in support of education. As president, I would energize relations with companies that recognize all aspects of our mission including education and discovery. Partners will follow our standards of ethical behavior for advertising, research, and publication. With a vibrant and thriving AAO-HNS, we can set the terms and tones of industry relations and be less susceptible as individuals and organizations to conflicts of interest, perceived or otherwise.

AAO-HNS leadership should listen to the voice of the membership and focus the Strategic Plan on the needs most related to daily practice. Personally, I am as close to training as I am to retirement; I have heard the hopes and concerns of a thousand otolaryngologists in forming these thoughts. As president, I would dedicate my term to make sure that every otolaryngologist feels like they have a home in the AAO-HNS.

More from April 2017 - Vol. 36, No. 3
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Academy Bylaws: Proposed amendments
The proposed recommendation by the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws Committee is to revise and add language to the Academy Bylaws clarifying the role of the Financial & Investment Subcommittee (FISC) as a Standing Committee of the Board, and to clearly define term limits on the FISC.
Tsue
Candidate Statements | Audit Committee | Terance Tsue, MD
It is an honor and privilege to be nominated and considered for this prestigious opportunity to serve the AAO-HNS and greater otolaryngology community through the Audit Committee. I have a passion to help “move the needle” and a life philosophy of continuous improvement.
Heman Ackah
Candidate Statements | Audit Committee | Selena E. Heman-Ackah, MD, PhD, MBA
The landscape of healthcare has changed dramatically over the course of the past two decades, and the future of healthcare within the United States presents various uncertainties.
Siegel
Candidate Statements | Nominating Committee: Private Practice | Gordon J. Siegel, MD
Honesty and integrity are two essential attributes that our Academy leaders must possess and promote. Beyond that, it is extremely important to select individuals who are well aware of what is going on in today’s medical world and who are forward thinking, to enter the future on a solid, educated, and prepared footing.
Powell
Candidate Statements | Nominating Committee: Private Practice | Angela M. Powell, MD
I will advocate for leaders with diverse backgrounds and experiences, knowledgeable in healthcare policy, facile in negotiation with insurers and managed care organizations, globally minded embracing our international colleagues and their contributions to the specialty, and forward-thinking in their approach to educating the next generation of otolaryngologists.
Kuhn
Candidate Statements | Nominating Committee: Private Practice | Jeffery J. Kuhn, MD
Choosing the “right” individual(s) to lead our organization through the myriad obstacles that influence the practice of medicine for our membership requires thoughtful consideration by those who have the experience of navigating and negotiating in various environments in healthcare. Our future leaders need to be multidimensional, compassionate, spirited, and tough-minded.
Holtel
Candidate Statements | Nominating Committee: Private Practice | Michael R. Holtel, MD
Otolaryngologists must be intimately involved in healthcare decision processes for us to improve healthcare in a meaningful way. I will nominate leaders whose primary focus is the betterment of our Academy, but who understand the importance of leadership in medicine as a whole and are willing to work locally, nationally, and internationally to improve our Academy.
Zafereo
Candidate Statements | Nominating Committee: Academic | Mark E. Zafereo, Jr., MD
The Academy should continue to expect leaders with commitment to service within and beyond the specialty: diverse servant leaders of varying age, gender, ethnicity, practice setting, subspecialty, and geography who embody common qualities of both servant and leader: integrity, humility, vision, grace, and strength of character.
Woodard
Candidate Statements | Nominating Committee: Academic | Troy D. Woodard, MD
An effective leader has integrity, compassion, enthusiasm, and is a team player. Integrity is the most important attribute.
Manes
Candidate Statements | Nominating Committee: Academic | R. Peter Manes, MD
It is an honor to be nominated for the Nominating Committee, and I would like to thank the current Nominating Committee for this opportunity. In seeking our future Academy leaders, my goal is to identify people that represent, not just our current Academy, but rather the Academy we want for the future.
Agrawa
Candidate Statements | Nominating Committee: Academic | Yuri Agrawal, MD
I am honored to have been chosen to run for the Nominating Committee, a committee whose role is critical to the selection of our Academy’s leadership.
Bhatte
Candidate Statements | Director at Large: Private Practice | Nikhil J. Bhatt, MD
I deeply appreciate this nomination. If elected, I will do my best to take the Academy to the forefront of patient care, academic excellence, and political activation.
Backous
Candidate Statements | Director at Large: Private Practice | Douglas D. Backous, MD
Broader member involvement will strengthen grassroots Academy initiatives and represents the most powerful protection from legislation that would undermine our mission of empowering otolaryngologists to deliver the highest quality healthcare.
Senior
Candidate Statements | Director at Large: Academic | Brent A. Senior, MD
A colleague once told me what he wanted carved into his tombstone: “If it hadn’t been this, it would have been something else!” I am often reminded of this when confronted with the onslaught of change occurring in medicine.
Burkey
Candidate Statements | Director at Large: Academic | Brian B. Burkey MD, MEd
I am honored to be a candidate and hope to be able to serve the Academy by “providing perspectives that represent the varying interests and concerns of the membership,” as stated in the official job description.
Kazahaya
Candidate Statements | Secretary/Treasurer-Elect | Ken Kazahaya, MD, MBA
In order to ensure the continued success of the AAO-HNS/F, it is imperative to be fiscally responsible and promote an environment of growth of the Academy’s revenue streams.
Altman
Candidate Statements | Secretary/Treasurer-Elect | Kenneth W. Altman, MD, PhD
It is my great pleasure to be considered for election as Secretary/Treasurer-Elect. This position serves the important roles of guiding a proposed budget, overseeing administration of our general funds, and serving as a critical conduit between the Executive Committee, directors, and the Finance Investment Subcommittees (FISC).
Rosenthal
Candidate Statements | President-Elect | Eben L. Rosenthal, MD
Diseases that confront otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons cross ethnic, geographical, religious, or political boundaries and so does our membership.
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Informing your vote
AAO-HNS has partnered with Election America to administer the 2017 election of candidates for leadership positions.
Reg Ent
Reg-ent℠ ramps up for MIPS 2017
With PQRS 2016 now in the rear-view mirror, the Reg-entSM registry is gearing up to meet the needs of its practices and clinicians for reporting under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). One hundred and twenty-one clinicians successfully reported PQRS in 2016 and, we anticipate many more to report all categories of MIPS, via Reg-ent in 2017.
Seated (from left): Evelyne Diom, Senegal; Rajab Mugabo, Rwanda; Johan Fagan, South Africa; Anna Konney, Ghana; Joyce Aswani, Kenya. Standing (from left): Paul Onakoya, Nigeria; Patrick Noah, Malawi; Kenneth Baidoo, Ghana; Innocent Kundiona, Zimbabwe; Jeffrey Otiti, Uganda. Inset: Victor Mashamba, Tanzania
Congratulations to African Head and Neck Society
Johan Fagan, MD, professor and chairman of Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, has trained 10 African fellows from nine different sub-Saharan African countries over the last decade through the Karl Storz Fellowship in Advanced Head and Neck Surgery.
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Annual Meeting keynote to highlight technology’s future in health and medicine
The AAO-HNSF 2017 Annual Meeting & OTO Experience offers a unique opportunity for attendees to explore this year’s meeting theme, “Premiering Tomorrow Today,” as we glimpse the future of otolaryngology September 10-13, in Chicago, IL.
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Ninth annual mission provides otolaryngology services in Honduras
Hospital Loma de Luz is a 50-bed mission hospital with three operating rooms, an emergency department, outpatient clinics, pharmacy, and laboratory located on the north coast of Honduras, in Balfate, Colon.
Aaohns Old Logo
Academy releases new and updated Position Statements
Position Statements are used to designate a statement, policy, or declaration of the American Academy of Otolaryngology— Head and Neck Surgery and Foundation (AAO-HNS/F) on a particular topic or set of topics.
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Board of Governors | Spring is here: Speak up!
Communication is a cornerstone of civilized society. Among all the medical specialties, our training uniquely qualifies us to be experts in the essential components for verbal human interaction.
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AMA House of Delegates Report: Issues affecting otolaryngology
The American Medical Association (AMA) held its 2016 Interim House of Delegates (HOD) Meeting November 12-15, in Orlando, FL. Your Academy was represented by myself, Michael S. Goldrich, MD, delegate; Robert Puchalski, MD, delegate and otolaryngology section council chair; and James C. Denneny III, MD, Academy EVP/CEO, and alternate delegate.
Kass Dinner 1
Honoring the 2017 International Guests of Honor: Korean American Satellite Symposium
The first Korean American Satellite Symposium (KASS) started in San Diego, CA, on October 3, 2009. The idea to start KASS was initiated in 2008 by Chul Hee-Lee, MD, who was chairman of the Board of Directors for the Korean Society of Otorhinolaryngology (KSORL), and Timothy TK Jung, MD, PhD, who was the president of the Korean American Otolaryngology Society (KAOS).
James C. Denneny III, MD, AAO-HNS/F EVP/CEO
Participation, planning enable success
Leaders representing the wide breadth of specialty practices, settings, geographic locations, and demographics assembled at the AAO-HNS/F Leadership Forum & BOG Spring Meeting in Alexandria, VA, last month. They included national otolaryngology society officers, state otolaryngology society representatives, AAO-HNS/F Boards of Directors and AAO-HNS Board of Governors members, American Board of Otolaryngology officers, section society leaders, and members.
Gregory W. Randolph, MD, AAO-HNS/F Past President
Travel the globe at our Annual Meeting
The American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery is truly the global academy of otolaryngology, and there has never been a better, more exciting time to get involved in the panoply of the Academy’s Annual Meeting international activities.