CEO Update, February 2024

Funny how there are so many metaphors for life in some of our day-to-day activities.  Skiing recently, I was reminded of that age old Gretzky quote, “I go to where the puck is going, not to where it’s been.”   While this has some definite sage to it, skiing reminded me how it goes deeper.

To make it effectively down the headwall, you definitely need to be looking ahead.  Mapping your next one or two turns, as you note the flow of the hill.  But you also need to know exactly where you are.  Taking it one or two turns at a time makes what could seem ominous from the top a little easier.  Guess Mom was right when she suggested breaking tasks down into steps.  Rarely is anything achieved via a straight line.  You have to look to better define the next best step along the way.  Then when you get to the bottom, make sure to look up.  That view helps instill the confidence to continue.

AAOA is always looking at each next step to build a roadmap.  For years, medical associations were perceived as the peer group that offered CME, access to the latest research via journals, practice support, and networking.  While the components of this traditional association model have not gone away, the way in which we achieve it is evolving.  Maybe it is due to changes in practice environments, reimbursement, payer issues, and cost.  Maybe it is due to changes in membership demographics and varying needs of early career physicians versus those more seasoned.  Or maybe it is due to changes in why people join and what their expectations are from their professional associations. Regardless of the drivers, there is change a foot. Perhaps the needs are still the same — education, practice support, and peer networking. Perhaps the how is what is changing.

So how does AAOA deliver on member needs without trying to be everything to everyone?  Some of what AAOA is known for, as shared by you, our members, is innovation.  AAOA’s leadership and staff are not afraid to try new things — formats, programs, benefits, and more.

Listening to our membership we have rolled out some new pathways to engagement:

• Our Annual Meeting registration is included in your dues.  This gives you an opportunity to both earn CME and network with peers at no additional cost annually
• We have increased access to our CME content.  Not only have we maintained a hybrid approach to our Course and Annual Meeting, we have extended the content access to up to 90 days, making it more useful for our physician members for both their own learning, as well as training their staff.  We have also added our Educational Stacks to help filled the void between courses, and we have expanded our YouTube and Podcast series.   While not CME per se, they both offer some great content in easy access snippets. For more information click, https://aaoallergy.org/education/
• Coming out of COVID, your AAOA leadership heard from many of you on the struggles tied to supply chain issues, costs, patient access, reimbursement, and more.  In an effort to help, we have rolled out our newest member benefit.  AAOA now offers an Affinity program with US ENT, a group purchasing organization.  Through this affiliation, AAOA members may choose to work with US ENT to gain cost savings on antigen, allergy supplies, or any of the other service lines US ENT offers.  For more information, contact info@USENTPartners.com
• While it was years in the development process, USP has instituted the General Chapter <797> update for sterile preparation.  AAOA has tools and resources for you to help meet the compliance criteria.  Please click here for details, https://aaoallergy.org/usp-general-chapter-797-compliant-aaoa-has-the-resources-you-need/

Never a fan of change for change’s sake, AAOA will continue to navigate the headwalls and pivot as needed to help you in your practice.  We are open to ideas and suggestions too.  Feel free to share what one thing would —

• Help you in your practice
• Drive you to get on a plane for the Annual Meeting or the Basic/Advanced Course
• Give you reason to carve out time to participate in any of our virtual content be it the courses, stacks, or even podcasts.

Email info@aaoallergy.org.

Thanks for your continuing support.