Legacy of Excellence Digital Flipbook

LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE

During one local event, Dr. Cannon met representatives from the AAO-HNS Board of Governors (BOG). He found that the grassroots structure of the BOG fit into his personal approach of engaging with the community to improve systems and delivery of care. He would go on to become active in the AAO-HNS BOG and was elected as Chair from 1999-2000 where he served as a member of the Board of Directors as well. His ability to work effectively with others in prior significant contributions served as a springboard to being nominated to and winning an At-Large position on the AAO-HNS/F Board of Directors. When that term ended, Past President Jonas T. Johnson, MD, as Chair of the Nominating Committee asked him to accept the nomination for the position of President-elect. “My wife and I talked about it and decided that we would attempt it. It was a great honor to even [be] nominated.” Thinking back on his time as President-elect, he said, “I think by the time you become president, you’re pretty familiar with the framework of the Academy, how things work, and you’re already immersed in critical projects. You understand the challenges and know the ways to make things happen within the Academy.” Dr. Cannon was particularly adept in condensing complex problems to an understandable level, which helped him gain support and compromise to get solutions approved. His pragmatic approach served him well as President and later as a member and subsequent President of the American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. Socioeconomic issues such as pay-for-performance garnered much attention during Dr. Cannon’s time in office. While the collection of outcomes data was challenging to many physicians, Dr. Cannon advised members to maintain a keen focus on medical ethics. Writing in the March 2006 Bulletin he said, “As I look at the issue of medical ethics, I am reminded that we, as physicians, need to be even more mindful of our conduct and professionalism because we are held to higher standards. Since patients place their trust in us, we must be keenly aware of the repercussions of our actions. “Oddly enough, trust, integrity, and providing the best quality of care have much in common. By aligning our priorities with the ultimate goal of providing superior care for our patients, we are protecting ourselves from the consequences of stepping outside ethical behavior. Therefore, we have nothing to fear from the implementation of pay-for-performance measures that will reward high-quality healthcare delivery.”

The AAO-HNS Washington Advocacy Conference in March 2006 gave leadership and members the opportunity to meet with congressional leaders in Washington, DC, and to advocate for the health of their patients as well as the health of their practices. Noting that “these are interesting and difficult times in medicine,” Dr. Cannon wrote in the May 2006 Bulletin , “Our specialty is not immune to the problems that face the house of medicine in general. Most of these issues have a financial underpinning. Unfortunately, decisions for patients are now being made on the basis of cost and not what is medically best for the individual patient. Increased practice expenses, especially those related to medical liability insurance, and poor reimbursement from insurance and third-party payers make survival of your medical practice a daunting task.” Taking stock of his time in office, Dr. Cannon noted in his final Bulletin article, “In the past 12 months we have been challenged to redefine quality patient care, learn about the potential benefits offered by health information technology and electronic medical records, reevaluate the components of Maintenance of Certification for board-certified otolaryngologists and consider the reform of continuing medical education as we know it… Being at the crossroads of change in the healthcare delivery system presents new dilemmas and opportunities.” Tirelessly urging members to take part in the activities of their Academy to make sure their practices were healthy and viable, while urging his own patients to contact their local representatives and join the fight for quality healthcare and delivery, Dr. Cannon continued, writing, “Twenty years ago, I did not give much thought to the influence grassroots advocacy can have on the specialty. Nor was I aware that legislative priorities can be influenced by proactive legislation and the mobilization of our patients, if we only take the time to educate them.” When asked about his vision of, and for the AAO-HNS/F, Dr. Cannon replied, “We have a good organization. We’ve been blessed with some really good EVPs who have directed us along with good vision from the Board of Directors. I think we’re doing very well… our specialty is well respected in the house of medicine. I think that is a a tribute to the past leaders that we have had and the leaders we will have in the future.

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