Legacy of Excellence Digital Flipbook

Chapter 3: 2007 – 2011

probability of duplicating efforts between the AAO HNSF and the subspecialty society. “The Academy has a long tradition of providing top-notch educational materials for our members, and education is one of our core activities. Our goal is to be the most comprehensive source of high-quality information for otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons,” shared Dr. Kuppersmith in the December 2009 Bulletin . His point supported the AAO-HNSF being awarded a four-year reaccreditation in March 2007 from the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. To further the longevity of that status, the Academy focused on the 2011 reaccreditation process, by initiating a year-long assessment of the overall education program in 2010. The assessment revealed the power of the AAO HNSF’s long history of excellence in CME and in collaboration with stakeholders across the specialty and house of medicine. It also showed excellence in the Academy’s participation in quality and performance improvement activities and guideline development, and the organization’s ethical approach to managing conflict of interest and corporate relations. The self-assessment and continuing integration of education, meetings, research, and emphasis on quality coincided with the convergence of changes in oversight and expectation by the government, payers, certifying boards, hospitals, and the general public. It allowed a rare opportunity for significant progress in providing the resources, tools, and activities that would

support the increasingly critical needs of the specialty in delivering the best patient care. Noted in the 2011 Annual Report, the AAO-HNS Foundation was awarded accreditation status with the ACCME following a comprehensive and review of the overall Foundation CME program. The new four-year accreditation was set to expire in July 2015.

AcademyU® AcademyU, the Academy’s new online education system, was launched in 2007 and by 2008, CME activities were being offered in a variety of delivery formats.

One of the core missions of the Academy is the education of its members. As technology continues to change rapidly, it is imperative that we continue to provide quality educational materials in a format and platform consistent with the technology our younger members require. Through extensive work over several years under the direction of J. David Osguthorpe, MD, and Phillip Kokemueller, the staff has launched AcademyU. This platform will allow progressive enhancement of the Academy’s body of knowledge and extended, relevant searches, online interaction, and self-directed professional study and tracking. This wish, now a reality, has only scratched the surface of what members will be able to access for patient care and education.”

– James C. Denneny III, MD, 2007-2008 President, December 2007 Bulletin

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