Legacy of Excellence Digital Flipbook

LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE

early 2015. “Our members have asked us to provide the tools that they need to survive and thrive as healthcare delivery transitions away from the fee-for-service model to quality-based care delivery. We listened and feel that Reg-ent will provide these tools for our members in a ‘one-stop shopping’ arrangement,” he said in the October 2015 Bulletin . Engaging the specialty societies, the Reg-ent Executive Committee with Dr. Denneny as the Chair, instituted the development of seven Clinical Advisory Committees (CACs) to support the infrastructure of the registry by representing all the subspecialties within otolaryngology. While initially providing support to the development of Reg-ent, the CACs also became critical in the years that followed as the AAO-HNSF was at the forefront of quality measurement development. The CACs, in alignment with their Reg-ent contributions, ensured measures were member-driven, reflected gaps in care, and grounded in best practice. As Dr. Denneny saw it, the registry was addressing, among other things, ongoing reporting requirements impacting the practice of medicine, the continued pressure and ongoing devaluation of surgical services as well as the initiation of a quality program that was not well defined. “Value is the catch word, that is based on cost and quality. One of the things that I was looking forward to [in becoming EVP/CEO] was expanding an already existing quality program into where it could help provide the valuation data through the registry. This will put our members in excellent position going forward.” In its first six years of implementation and operation, Reg-ent supported members in quality reporting and actively advocated for members on issues related to quality data reporting, data access, and interoperability. And in 2021 it moved into Phase II of operations that expanded its functionality to include research, clinical trials, and outcomes. Healthcare Delivery in an Era of Challenges Dr. Denneny noted that most of the critical areas in the evolution of the current healthcare system existed on a continuum but recently have been driven by principles such as quality and value that crossed into both the governmental and private arenas. One area of challenge he noted was, “the continued assault by private payers to not pay for essential procedures that have been done for a long time. It’s very frustrating to the members and for us trying to help them with that.” But this

Value is the catch word, that is based on cost and quality.

develop a diversity video series that was released in 2021. The goal of this education resource, which was a collaborative effort with the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, was not only to raise awareness, but effect behavior changes in the healthcare community as they related to social determinants of health and implicit bias. Otolaryngology-Specific Clinical Data Registry: Planning for the Future Specialty unity was also an integral component of the new undertaking of the clinical data registry. In his role as Socioeconomic Coordinator, Dr. Denneny had previously been involved and thus was intently familiar with the course of direction the AAO-HNSF was taking with the development of a quality portfolio of clinical practice guidelines and performance measures specific to otolaryngology. The creation of a clinical data registry (CDR) was a part of the plan he presented to the Search Committee, and at his first BOD meeting in 2015, an in-depth study was approved. The BOD then approved allocating $2,000,000 to create an otolaryngology CDR. He also knew the importance of including all specialty areas in the development of the registry if it was to fully represent otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. Through his previous involvement and incredible work by a talented and dedicated staff, the progression of the registry did not miss a step after the Boards approval to move from concept to implementation in help provide the valuation data through the registry. This will put our members in excellent position going forward.” One of the things that I was looking forward to [in becoming EVP/CEO] was expanding an already existing quality program into where it could

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