Published: March 30, 2017

A persistent pursuit for patient hearing health

Intrinsic to the privilege of caring for people is our obligation for patient advocacy so as to provide the best care for the individual as well as ultimately for all patients. The unmet needs for hearing aids has been and continues to be a major area of focused patient advocacy.

Robert J. Ruben, MD

Robert J. Ruben, MD, testifies before the U.S. Senate in 1973, accompanied by his son.Intrinsic to the privilege of caring for people is our obligation for patient advocacy so as to provide the best care for the individual as well as ultimately for all patients. The unmet needs for hearing aids has been and continues to be a major area of focused patient advocacy.

In 1973, the American Association for Retired People (AARP) asked me to be a witness for them at the hearings before the Subcommittee on Consumer Interest of the Elderly on the Special Committee of the U.S. Senate concerning hearing aids and the older American. I had a written testimony and ancillary documents, which are now part of the Congressional Record.

I explained to the committee the very real need for otological examinations of patients before they had a hearing aid to make sure there were no diseases that needed to be cared for which might alleviate the hearing loss and/or preserve function. This was documented by a number of case histories of my own patients who had delayed diagnosis because they had not been otologically evaluated before receiving the hearing aid. Also, I conducted an analysis of the economics of hearing aid distribution, and at that time, there was the need for establishing more efficient marketing. I illustrated this with what I had observed at that time in Europe. My testimony was of no avail.

Fifteen years later, in1988, I addressed the FDA Panel on Hearing Devices. I proposed three regulations, two of which were accepted: 1) the package insert that stated the device could be used for a month, and if not satisfied with the results, the individual could return it for a modest rental fee and 2) the requirement for a medical examination of children under 18. The adults were excluded from the medical evaluation.

Lesson learned is that advocacy, the relentless persistence of a rational agenda for patient betterment, will succeed over time; not all at once, but incrementally. We must be tenacious on behalf of our patients.

More from April 2017 - Vol. 36, No. 3

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.

Merati 1

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.

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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.

Am17 Chicago

Annual Meeting keynote to highlight technology’s future in health and medicine

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honduras-1

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.

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.

Bog

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.

Getty Images 1007900266

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.