Legacy of Excellence Digital Flipbook

LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE

2006: “The News” was launched as a weekly e-mail publication combining the content formerly found in ENeT News and ENT Mail.

Measures (TRICSM) Conference in June 2006. This conference laid the groundwork for the specialty to have a more proactive voice in defining the meaning of “quality” for otolaryngologists in the quality-based purchasing system that over 100 insurance carriers and health plans had already adopted. TRICSM helped to identify, prioritize, and develop general and specific performance measures for key diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat, head, and neck. As a result of this conference and hard work by physician members and staff, the Academy was in a position to excel at the development of guidelines for the specialty. In highlighting the value of this sponsored event, Dr. Nielsen said in the February 2006 Bulletin , “Payers, government, advocacy groups, quality organizations, state licensing boards, certifying boards, and multi specialty physician organizations are placing demands on otolaryngologists. How should we meet their demands? First and foremost, I believe we must stay informed, be proactive, and present a united front. We cannot allow quality of care to be jeopardized by others’ decisions.” The three-day conference was a coordinated effort of the AAO-HNSF along with the Duke Clinical Research Institute, the Physician’s Consortium for Performance Improvement, the American Board of Internal Medicine, the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, United Healthcare Foundation, Children’s

pay for performance (P4P) programs will be built. Our stakeholders have taken notice of the Academy’s efforts, as evidenced by the response to TRICSM, the Washington Advocacy Conference’s (WAC) success on Capitol Hill, the effectiveness of our Physician Payment Policy Workgroup, corporate support, and Annual Meeting participation rates, allowing us to expand the programs and services we offer our members.” Clinical Practice Guidelines The May 2004 issue of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery featured new clinical treatment guidelines for otitis media with effusion (OME). A collaborative effort among the Academy, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Physicians, these guidelines offered evidence-based recommendations on the diagnosis, manage, and treatment of children aged two months through 12 years with OME. Dr. Nielsen noted in his June 2004 Bulletin column that Richard M. Rosenfeld, MD, MPH, MBA, was the AAO-HNS representative in this joint effort, and “felt that this effort was unique because it was the first to use an evidence-based process that considers the quality of research evidence and the potential harm versus benefit profile of interventions, the first to include recommendations for children who are at risk for speech, language, or learning problems; and the first to explicitly recommend against population-based screening programs for OME in health, asymptomatic children.” In the years that followed the above-mentioned publication, the AAO-HNSF became entrenched in developing the mechanism to define evidence-based measures for the good of the specialty and patient care. It was soon determined that the foundation for a valid and reliable physician performance measure was an equally workable and rigorous clinical practice guideline. With that in mind, the Academy convened a Guidelines Development Task Force, composed of otolaryngology subspecialities specialty societies, the American Board of Otolaryngology, Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head-Neck Nurses, the Triological Society, and representatives from the Patient Safety/Quality

Hospital Boston, and the American Otological Society. As performance measurement and value-based purchasing discussions gained more prominence in the physician payment debate, the stakes in quality improvement were raised even higher. The development of high-quality, evidence-based, patient centered performance measures that focus on clinical outcomes was critical. Dr. Nielsen noted in the 2006 Annual Report, “Such performance measures should form the foundation upon which valid and relevant

October 1, 2006: Richard M. Rosenfeld,

MD, MPH, MBA, became the new Editor in Chief of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery .

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