ENTtoday: March 2012

Otolaryngologists Concerned about Online Consumer Hearing Test

A subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group has launched an online hearing test and a line of lower-cost hearing devices that are generating alarm about patient safety among otolaryngologists.

Checklist Improves Communication During Patient Transfers

A standardized checklist and transfer protocol can reduce errors during patient handoffs following surgical or interventional procedures.

Medicare Physician Payment Cut Averted

A 27.4 percent Medicare cut was scheduled to begin Mar. 1.

New Tool from the Joint Commission to Improve Surgical Consultations

In mid-February, the Joint Commission introduced a new online tool meant to help combat inconsistencies in the surgical time out process.

Conflicting Evidence on Tobacco’s Effect on ESS Outcomes

Does smoking prevent sinus surgery from making patients feel better? Over the years, evidence and expert opinion have varied on this topic. As a result, some surgeons refuse to provide endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for active smokers, while others will operate because they believe surgery improves quality of life.

Review These Tips Before Leaving Your Medical Practice Job

Leaving a medical practice is never an easy decision. As you plan your exit strategy, be aware of these issues and address them proactively with your employer.

ICD-10 Implementation Delayed Indefinitely

Otolaryngologists may be wondering for a bit longer what their next step should be now that HHS has delayed the October 2013 implementation of the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases coding system (ICD-10).

There’s a (Medical) App for That

Five health care apps for mobile devices and tablets available to patients

Bevacizumab Therapy Effective for Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia

Does bevacizumab delivered as a submucosal and topical intranasal therapy effectively control hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT)-associated epistaxis?

Effectiveness of Palatal Implants for Snoring Deteriorates Over Time

What is the long-term effectiveness of palatal implants as a treatment for primary snoring?

Complication Rates of Temporoparietal Fascia Free Flap Coverage

Does the use of the temporoparietal fascia free flap (TPFF) for pharyngeal closure reinforcement reduce the incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) in the salvage setting?

PET-Directed Management of Node-Positive Head and Neck Cancers

Is neck dissection required routinely in the management of node-positive head and neck squamous cancer after definitive radiation therapy or chemoradiation therapy?

Complications with Reconstruction in Patients with Mandibular Osteoradionecrosis

Does reconstructive surgery result in measureable improvement in quality of life and function in the setting of mandibular osteoradionecrosis?