The first time Gayle Woodson, MD, went on an international otolaryngology outreach mission 15 years ago, she was “a little afraid to go.” The chair of otolaryngology at Southern Illinois University in Springfield was traveling to Tanzania, a country prone to violence and war, and there was no telling what kind of environment she was entering.
The health care reform law passed in March created a $50 million demonstration program to test alternatives to the current medical liability system. But reaction is mixed as to whether the new project will help fix what the physician and medical liability insurance communities view as a flawed and inefficient system.
In this economy, investing in advertising as a way to increase profits is an attractive idea. But, before you reach out to a marketing firm, let me tell you about a recent scenario that happened to one of my physician clients.
Recent publication of practice parameters for surgery in adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has set off another round of debate on the need for otolaryngologists to get involved in generating their own guidelines. Although otolaryngologists have yet to agree on whether or not the time is right for guidelines on surgical treatment for sleep apnea, consensus can be claimed regarding the need perceived by the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) to get on the evidence-based bandwagon.
Seven-year-old Michael is scheduled to have a hemangioma removed from his face at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) Ambulatory Surgery Center in Little Rock. The morning of surgery, he and his mother meet with child life specialists Cassandra C. James, MS, CCLS, and Camille Dante, MS, CCLS, who show him pictures of the operating room. They let him play with an anesthesia mask and a pulse oximeter, and talk about what to expect when he goes to sleep.
The shooting of a doctor and two patients at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore in September sent a shudder of fear through all physicians, but for those who knew the late otolaryngologist John Kemink, MD, it was particularly saddening.
What is the efficacy of sterile sheath use to prevent cross-contamination when using a fiberoptic nasopharyngolaryngoscope (FNPL) in an otolaryngology clinic? Background: After each use of FNPL, the endoscope must be disinfected before it is used in another patient to prevent cross-contamination. Previous reports suggest that methods for disinfection vary among facilities, and medical assistants who […]
What is the importance of pre-linguistic vocalization? Background: The characterization and significance of pre-linguistic vocalization has long been the subject of research and debate. Pre-linguistic vocalization can generally be classified into non-speech-like vocalizations, including vegetative sounds, and speech-like vocalizations known as protophones. Most protophones begin with vowel-like vocalizations and culminate in well-formed, reduplicated consonant-vowel combinations referred […]
Can commercially available business tools be used to identify competencies specific to the junior otolaryngology resident and to develop behavioral-based interview questions and techniques? Background: The resident selection process cannot predict consistently and accurately the successful training and job performance of a potential resident. One area of potential intervention and improvement is the interview, where improvement […]
What are the trigger events that lead to detection of otherwise asymptomatic thyroid cancers? Background: The incidence of thyroid cancer has more than doubled in the past 30 years, but mortality has remained stable. Cancers never destined to cause symptoms during the person’s life are being detected and treated, leading to unnecessary surgery with potentially long-term […]
What clinical and environmental factors can predict recurrence or malignant transformation of sinonasal inverted papilloma (IP)? Background: IP is a benign neoplasm that is locally aggressive, with a less than 10 percent recurrence rate and potential for malignant transformation. Few studies have reported the effects of environmental factors, especially cigarette smoking, on recurrence rates of IP. […]