Legacy of Excellence Digital Flipbook

LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE

After completing his fellowship, Dr. Denneny took a faculty position at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston under Robert Jahrsdoerfer, MD, where he expanded his knowledge of otology as well as being able to do an observership with Burt Brent, MD, the renowned plastic surgeon at Stanford University Medical Center. He then went to the University of Indiana under chair Raleigh E. Lingeman, MD, and future AAO-HNS/F President Richard T. Miyamoto, MD, where he was in charge of the service at Riley Children’s Hospital, taught facial plastic surgery, and began doing endoscopic sinus surgery. After Dr. Lingeman stepped down as chair, Dr. Denneny went into private practice in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he practiced for the next 25 years. When he moved to Knoxville, the East Tennessee Otolaryngology Society was not a member of the Academy Board of Governors (BOG). He convinced them to apply and once accepted, he became the first Governor. He subsequently became the Chair of the Socioeconomic and Grassroots Committee and was elected to serve as Chair of the BOG from 1998-1999. This afforded him a seat on the AAO-HNS/F Board of Directors led by President Harold C. Pillsbury III, MD, who became a role model and mentor influencing the rest of his career. During that time, he was the founding Chair of the Sinus and Allergy Coalition (later Sinus and Allergy Health Partnership) and the Coalition for Hearing and Balance and its successor America’s Hearing Healthcare Team. “I became very interested in evidence-based medicine, which I felt to be essential to future payment and quality. Later, it was the driving force to establish our clinical data registry.” Dr. Pillsbury convinced him to run for President in 2001 and he lost to K.J. Lee, MD. However, Dr. Denneny counted his defeat as beneficial in that he continued to watch and learn to be better equipped later in his career. “Dr. Lee generously helped me obtain the role as Coordinator for Socioeconomic Affairs for the Academy, which kept me involved and was very beneficial in teaching me the nuances of how the payment system works.” He was presented a second chance to run for President and this time was successful. In his initial Bulletin column as President in October 2007, Dr. Denneny stated, “One of the most important tasks of my presidency will be to build the foundation for productive collaboration of all otolaryngologists as we move forward.”

In November 2007, the Academy hosted a combined specialty meeting preceding its Strategic Planning event that he felt set the “stage for agreement and more commonality.” Leaders from all specialty groups within the otolaryngology family as well as representatives of the American Board of Otolaryngology (ABOto) attended and agreed on a framework to create future success. One of the early returns emanating from this strategy was the work he did with his friend Jesus E. Medina, MD, President of ABOto, in a special meeting at the Chicago airport, now known as the “Red Carpet Meeting,” to work on an agreement for an interface for the Academy within the maintenance of certification process. During Dr. Denneny’s presidency, an unexpected challenge arose that further demonstrated his collaborative approach. This particular issue was related balloon sinuplasty. “I felt it was important to fully evaluate both the technology and results prior to establishing a position. I ended up going out to the home of one of the manufacturers, participated in educational instruction on the process, and then wrote a Position Statement that was approved by the Board.” This resulted in a “cooling-off period” that allowed members to be paid while further evidence was being accumulated to determine value. There were a number of other activities and projects during his year as President, but Dr. Denneny recalled several he considers most significant that resulted in long-term changes benefiting the organization. The adoption of the first policy on diversity and formation of the first Diversity Committee and inviting representatives of the Diversity Committee and Women in Otolaryngology as guests to the Board of Directors meetings began to give these critical groups a voice at the table. The creation of the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement (PSQI) Committee was a significant addition to the Academy’s quality portfolio. The successful alliance with the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Computed Tomography Laboratories allowed our members to be paid for office CT scanners and the expansion of the International program in reorganization into a regional system that facilitated the continued growth and value we see today. Even after his presidency, Dr. Denneny’s involvement in the Academy continued in substantial ways, including when he was selected to serve as the AAO-HNS/F Executive Vice President and CEO, a position he started in December 2014, with a second term contracted through 2024.

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