Features
Article: Making Up the Difference: Otolaryngologists find ways to provide care for under- and uninsured patients
Doctors Rima and Robert DeFatta, married otolaryngologists who work at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, spend about an hour each day dealing with insurance-related hassles. About 20 percent of their patients are un- or underinsured, so the two physicians spend time dashing off letters to insurance companies, re-jiggering treatment plans and helping patients access available resources. Recently, Rima DeFatta, MD, had to figure out how to diagnose a patient who presented with symptoms that...
Article: How Will You Score? ABOto to launch MOC quality component
The American Board of Otolaryngology is preparing to launch the final component of its maintenance of certification (MOC) program this year. In addition to the goals of lifelong learning and quality improvement, the last of this four-part program should help otolaryngologists comply with performance incentives from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Special Report: Window of Opportunity: New time frame suggested for cochlear implant surgery in advanced otosclerosis
A new treatment algorithm for advanced otosclerosis, based on the clinical experience of Dutch investigators and supported by a literature review they conducted, suggests that the window for successful cochlear implantation (CI) in patients with severe disease is narrower than some otolaryngologists may believe .
Article: Free and Reduced Fee Medications
Does your patient need prescription meds but lack prescription coverage? These resources can help.
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Departments
Literature Review: Literature Review: A roundup of important recent studies
Firearm Muzzle Suppressors Far Superior to Ear-Level Protection Devices for Noise Reduction; IT Steroid Treatment, Oral Corticosteroid Therapy Similar for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss; Pilot Project Validates Tool to Assess Thyroidectomy Skills; Study Cites Complications, Legal Outcomes of Tonsillectomy Malpractice; Otolaryngologists Were Manipulated by TobaccoIndustry; A Look at Changing Trends in Laryngeal Cancer and High-Volume Providers
Career Development: Turn a Fellowship into a Career: Learn how to match up with the right program
The opportunity to gain more surgical experience as a facial plastics fellow was enticing to Hussein Samji, MD, MPH, as he finished his residency at Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, Calif., in 2010. But after exposure to some of the more mundane aspects of the subspecialty during screening interviews, Dr. Samji said he knew it wasn’t the career path for him.
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Columns
Legal Matters: Time to Retire Your White Coat? Plan your exit strategy carefully
As the physicians of the baby boomer generation approach their golden years, many have achieved career and financial success and are looking for an arrangement that will allow them to ease into retirement. While you may not be ready to hang up your white coat permanently, you may be interested in working fewer hours and taking less call. Retirement requires more than simply removing your name from the office door, however. If you are a physician nearing retirement, it is important that you plan, discuss...
