Modernizing Your Academy

Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBAAAO-HNS/F Executive Vice President and CEOIt has been approximately one year since I interviewed in person for the role of your EVP/CEO. My message to the Search Committee and my theme throughout my brief tenure has been modernization. The foundation built by my predecessors is one of the strongest in the field of medicine, with several components of your Academy that are best-in-class. I am humbled to stand on their shoulders and try to reach a bit higher.

Modernization does not mean out with the old and in with the new; it means thinking about where the puck will be in 10 years for our specialty and the Academy. The decisions we make today need to endure and create success a decade down the road. This has been exemplified in the strategic planning process. As always, I was impressed with the depth of thinking and analysis by our member leaders in crafting a strategic vision that will serve as a GPS guide to help navigate the coming decade. We are excited to present the final plan to our membership in the coming months.

Modernization does mean change. Throughout my career leading major change initiatives, I've always started with the basics of the Donabedian triad: structure, process, outcome. We need to ensure we have the right structures in order to support and accelerate the processes necessary to generate the outcomes we desire.

Modernization does not mean replacing people with technology – it means creating a mosaic of solutions that utilizes people, processes, and technology to provide an outsized advantage for our members. I strive to assemble these elements in ways that yield a 10X return. Incrementalism is not modernization; it merely operationalizes efficiency within the status quo.

We have already made some advancements with investments in technology. You may have noticed a new disclaimer on our website protecting our content from AI bots that scrape material from our domain. This proactive move prepares us for the upcoming launch of our own AI knowledge assistant in the coming months, which will help members better use all our resources. Your data registry, Reg-ent^SM, has taken a huge modernization leap with a near-complete overhaul of its fundamental technology. At a recent Board of Directors meeting, we approved the FY26 budget, which not only maintains but increases our investment in information technology. We have created a dedicated space as an in-house recording studio to amplify the Academy’s podcast, Voices of Otolaryngology. We are excited to upgrade the fifth-floor meeting space with cutting-edge technology to enhance collaboration and productivity and host your meetings at Academy headquarters!

Although your Academy will look different a decade from now, we know with certainty that a strong technological foundation will be essential to delivering the best value to our members.

Modernization does not mean simpler processes – it means evaluating all our processes to ensure they are agile, responsive, and move at the desired pace. As your EVP/CEO, for me, this pace is quick. I see a unique opportunity during this time of turbulence to ensure our processes assist members and provide a competitive advantage. We are examining our internal processes to ensure we remain democratic without becoming bureaucratic, enabling us to respond to challenges quickly and authoritatively with our hundreds of volunteer member leaders.

For example, our Advocacy and Health Policy team has systematically updated our templates for denials and position statements. Although this may seem straightforward, the effort is substantial and the impact even greater. Additionally, we have upgraded our digital marketing and communications platform to HubSpot—one of our Academy's biggest modernization steps—which allows us to leverage data and AI to drive our outreach and engagement.

I embrace complex processes, recognizing that simpler doesn't always mean better or more modern. I spend significant time with our staff ensuring our processes are optimized to drive at the pace necessary for the next decade.

I've deliberately discussed technology, process, and people in reverse order because, ultimately, it's all about the people. Modern does not mean fewer people. It means the right people in the right roles to anticipate and deliver what the next decade requires. As is common in leadership transitions, I'm building an organizational structure that will yield the best member value. 

We recently hired an inaugural Chief Revenue and Operating Officer. This role focuses on revenue generation (and diversification) while optimizing process efficiencies. I am thrilled to welcome Tarek F.  Kallassy, MBA, whose significant project management and improvement expertise will assist us in elevating our operational framework. I welcome discussions with any member about the organizational changes we've made to modernize our Academy for the next decade.

Modernization also implies investing in staff resources. We've recently provided LinkedIn Learning for all staff and expect our leaders to guide employees on courses they can take to evolve and up-skill. This complements my encouragement that employees integrate AI into their core work (similar to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).

I maintain a Day One mentality at the Academy as we continuously modernize, ensuring that your Academy has the right structures in place to support and accelerate the processes necessary to generate the outcomes we all desire, both today and in 2035.