Legacy of Excellence Digital Flipbook

Chapter 5: 2017 – 2021

academic and private practitioners, members of the healthcare delivery team who typically worked with otolaryngologists, industry leaders specific to otolaryngology, patient-based organizations, and Academy leadership and staff. As noted by Dr. Denneny in the July 2020 Bulletin , “While we are well-positioned now for most eventualities, it is critical that we stay ahead of the curve. Input from our members and colleagues throughout the healthcare industry will allow us to formulate a Strategic Plan that makes that possible.” Unity and collaboration, both within and outside the specialty, was an essential focus throughout this five year period that was interwoven into all aspects of the Academy’s work. The groundwork laid earlier proved particularly valuable in this was an unprecedented time, faced with a worldwide pandemic that put healthcare workers perilously on the frontline. The accomplishments of the collective AAO-HNS/F during this time were the achievements of a dedicated community who mobilized quickly to support each other, the specialty, and patients. Sacrifices big and small were made at every turn because of the unwavering work ethic and commitment to achieving quality patient care. The Academy was well positioned to tackle these challenges. To read more about the specific response to the COVID-19 pandemic, go to page 215. What follows, are the achievements above and beyond. ENHANCING SPECIALTY UNITY: INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY The collective voice of otolaryngology included a concerted, collaborative effort with both internal and external stakeholders, such as the Board of Governors (BOG), military otolaryngologists, Section for Residents

and Fellows-in-Training (SRF), Women in Otolaryngology (WIO), Young Physicians Section (YPS), International Advisory Board, Diversity and Inclusion Committee as well as myriad committees and task forces, the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (formerly ABOto), and all the specialty societies. one organization that includes many minds. It supports focused organizational activity for many “The Academy is

2017: The Academy transitioned from The News weekly eNewsletter to OTO News , also a weekly eNewsletter but with enhanced features that members could personalize to what types of information they wanted to receive.

constituencies that share a common link. Through diversity, strength, and common purpose, they form the family of our Academy,” shared Gregory W. Randolph, MD, 2016-2017 President, in the July 2017 Bulletin . Enhancing specialty unity and corralling the common voice of otolaryngology was a core focus throughout this timeframe, carrying the trend forward from years past and into the future. In his first Bulletin column as AAO-HNS/F President, Dr. Setzen noted specialty unity as an area of concentration of his presidency and moving forward. “Ensure specialty unity is fundamentally important to the success of our future. Nurturing subspecialty society relationships with shared vision and goals, while collaborating with the American College of Surgeons (ACS), American Board of Otolaryngology (ABOto), and other key stakeholders in ongoing coalition-building efforts is ‘table stakes’ moving forward. When we speak with one voice as a specialty and in the house of medicine, we have an opportunity to affect the discourse on healthcare reform, to optimize

To thrive in this era—an era of healthcare disruption, changing business models and alignments in the healthcare marketplace, a rapidly evolving digital economy, and the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Internet of Things, in which we are immersed in machine learning, and artificial intelligence, where augmented and virtual reality, automation, and robotics are transforming not only healthcare, but every aspect of life as we know it—we must work together, as a unified specialty, with aligned goals, shared aspirations, and a clear vision of the future.”

- Gavin Setzen, MD, 2017-2018 President, April 2018 Bulletin

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