Legacy of Excellence Digital Flipbook

LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE

Patients today are very different from those of yesteryear. They are better educated, sophisticated, and informed with access to much of the work’s medical knowledge via the internet. They wish to participate in their medical decisions and require greater openness from their physician. We all need to acknowledge this and change our practice styles to embrace this need. Gone are the days of the paternalistic, ‘doctor knows best!’”

– Jack L. Gluckman, MD, 2000-2001 President, June 2001 Bulletin

Dr. Denneny, who was also serving as Chair of the Coalition on Hearing and Balance, shared in the August 2000 Bulletin , “The time has come for otolaryngology to map out and implement a plan for comprehensive hearing healthcare. The cornerstone of this plan should be the clear fact that otolaryngologists are the only group that can provide the full spectrum of care for otologic and related disorders. We are the experts that everyone else must look to. We should be the ‘captain’ of the hearing healthcare team.” The Coalition focused on educating the public as well as referring physicians regarding what constitutes the best care for hearing and balance problems. They worked with the AAO-HNS State Legislative Network to promote the patient’s right to get the care deserved.

In 2001, following the successful model of the Sinus and Allergy Health Partnership, the America’s Hearing Health Team Initiative (AHHTI) was born from the Coalition on Hearing and Balance. AHHTI was a joint venture among the AAO-HNS, ANS, AOS, and the International Hearing Society, and was later joined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and endorsed by the American College of Surgeons. Patient Health: An Ongoing Priority to Reach the Public Reaching the public with important information about otolaryngologic diseases and disorders continued to gain momentum. In 1997, the Academy launched “From Your Shoulders UP,” a patient newsletter for members to educate the public about otolaryngology head and neck surgery. In 1998, when the Environmental Protection Agency kicked off a nationwide program to educate the public about the hazards of secondhand smoke to children, they purchased 4,000 copies of the AAO-HNS video Poisoning Our Children: The Perils of Secondhand Smoke as well as the companion leaflet. The Academy continued to produce patient information that was well-recognized, utilized, and trusted. From videos to patient leaflets and expansion into Spanish language materials, the Academy, through its network of clinical experts within the committee structure, built a robust repository of patient related content for dissemination not only in paper form, but on the website and via the internet.

ASHA Joins AHHTI Left: James C. Denneny III, MD, Chair, America’s Hearing Healthcare Team Initiative; K.J. Lee, MD, AAO-HNS/F President-Elect; Jack L. Gluckman, MD, AAO HNS/F President; John E. Bernthal, PhD, ASHA President; Nancy A. Greaghead, PhD, ASHA, President-Elect.

Educating the public about the specialty was an important component to achieving quality patient care. Not

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