CEO Update, March 2024

March is such an optimistic month. (Although some may wonder this year with the extension of Winter in some parts). It offers a great opportunity to Reflect, Review, and Refocus.

As I reflect on the AAOA during Women’s history month, I am reminded of how many strong, outstanding female leaders AAOA has benefitted from.  If I am not mistaken, AAOA was the first otolaryngology society with a female president — Helen Krause, MD (1984–1985). This is a great place to be at the forefront of our specialty. Our diversity in leadership has served us well.

As I review on where we are, I am reminded of our mission, “To Advance Comprehensive Management of Allergy and Inflammatory Disease in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery through Training, Education, and Advocacy.”  Our implementation has been through our strong CME programs. Core to these are the Basic and Advanced Courses in Allergy & Immunology.  These lay the foundation for members who are adding or augmenting their allergy service line in their practice.  The Advanced Course also features inflammatory disease in otolaryngology such as chronic cough, sleep, and sinus disease to offer you more takeaways for your own practice. Our Annual Meeting brings it all together to help both new and long-term members learn the latest to help improve delivery of care.  In an effort to underscore the value of CME programming, your Board has included the Annual Meeting as part of your overall dues for the last several years. The feedback has been positive. We hope this adds to your reasons to engage in the 2024 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.

As I refocus, I am reminded of the Board’s focus on member engagement through value. Knowing our CME programs are core, we have continued the hybrid format, taking what was a 3-day live course to a 90-day program. This has expanded how you can benefit and how you can use the courses to help train your staff. Our educational stacks offer core content in two time-limited annual cohorts. Again, giving you access to content in a timely manner.

From an advocacy standpoint, we have focused on practice challenges you face. Now that USP <797> has rolled out, our compliance tools make it easier for you to meet the criteria. We are also focused on practice tools.  Initiated with our Practice Resource Tool Kit (link), we continue to consider ways to share business of medicine tools and content to help you from that perspective. 

Our newest practice-based tool is our new Affinity Program. Working with US ENT, AAOA members have the opportunity to gain tremendous cost savings on allergens and allergy supplies, as well as the many other service lines US ENT offers. We are very excited about this new member benefit.  It offers great tangible impact.  For more information, contact [email protected].

Here’s to Spring and new beginnings! We appreciate your continues support and our ability to help you in your practice.