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Welcome

Celebrating Over 80 Years Of Service!

The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA) represents over 2,700 Board-certified otolaryngologists and health care providers. Otolaryngology, frequently referred to as Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT), uniquely combines medical and surgical expertise to care for patients with a variety of conditions affecting the ears, nose, and throat, as well as commonly related conditions. AAOA members devote part of their practice to the diagnosis and treatment of allergic disease. The AAOA actively supports its membership through education, research, and advocacy in the care of allergic patients.

"Advance the comprehensive management of allergy and inflammatory disease in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery through training, education, and advocacy."

AAOA Member Benefits

  • Up to 60% discount for CME programs and free Annual Meeting. All AAOA’s CME programs meet ABOTOHNS Continuing Certification.
  • AAOA US ENT Affinity program, where AAOA members can gain savings on antigen, allergy supplies, and any of the other 5 service lines US ENT offers. For more email info@usentpartners.com.
  • Tools and resources to comply with US General Chapter 797 and practice management tools.
  • Advocacy support.
  • And much more! Learn More

ADVOCACY UPDATES

CMS Updates Conversion Factor for Physician Services

In early March, Congress adopted legislation that updated the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) conversion factor for…

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CMS to Provide Advanced Payments to Those Affected by the Change Healthcare Cyberattack

On Saturday, March 9, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a statement…

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Policy Update: State of the Union Address, Budget Updates

President Biden’s State of the Union Address State of the Union Transcript State of the Union Video…

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Upcoming Dates

04/01/24: Fellow Exam Application Deadline
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06/01/24: Research Grant Cycle
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06/25/24: Membership Application Deadline to be eligible for AAOA Member rate for the 2024 Basic Course

08/02/24: Scientific Abstract Submission Deadline
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12/01/24: Research Grant Cycle
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EDUCATION

AAOA Advanced Course

The recorded course content is available until April 30, 2024. This year’s Advanced Course featured Laryngology and Skull Base Surgery with Nausheen Jamal, MD and Garret Choby, MD as featured faculty.

RESIDENTS

For information about Resident membership, opportunities, DosedDaily, research grants, and other resources. Learn More

IFAR

Available Now

aaoaf-ifar

IFAR Impact Factor: 2.454

IFAR Featured Content: COVID-19 - Free Access
Endonasal instrumentation and aerosolization risk in the era of COVID‐19: simulation, literature review, and proposed mitigation strategies . Read More

Changes in Managing Practices

Working together with AAOA staff, volunteer leadership and members will enable us to have a positive impact on our members’ practices.

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Live and Online CME

2024 AAOA Advanced Course in Allergy & Immunology - Hybrid
On-Demand Content Access Deadline:
April 30, 2024
Learn More and Register

2024 AAOA Basic Course in Allergy & Immunology - Hybrid
July 25-27, 2024
The Diplomat, Hollywood, Florida
Learn More and Register

2024 AAOA Annual Meeting - Hybrid
November 8-10, 2024
Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas
Learn More 

USP 797 Online Module
Learn More and Register

AAOA Educational Stacks
Next Availability - April 1, 2024

News and Updates

CEO Update, March 2024

March is such an optimistic month. (Although some may wonder this year with the extension of…

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Member Perspective on AAOA Value

by Dole Baker, MD, FAAOA Having been a long-time member of the AAOA, recent upgrades…

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College Allergy Symptoms Treatment Back to Shcool

PRACTICE RESOURCES

AAOA Practice Resource Tool Kit

The American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA) Practice Resource Tool Kit is intended as a guide to help AAOA members integrate allergy into their otolaryngology practice and to continually improve on this integration as new information, regulations, and resources become available.

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PARTNER RESOURCE CENTER

AAOA has launched a Partner Resource Center to bring you partner resources that can assist your practice and patient care.

Visit the New Center>

PATIENT CORNER

CMS Coding 2021 – AAOA Zoomcast

A brief summary of the CMS Coding 2021 – AAOA Zoomcast Series: Just In Time Content for AAOA Members, Part II. Written by Christie DeMason MD, FAAOA.

Panelists: James Connolly, MD; Ayesha Khalid, MD, MBA; Nalin Patel, MD; Robert Stachler, MD.

Moderator: Jennifer Villwock, MD.

Goal of Panel: Highlight some of the new CMS coding

How Will the Changes Impacting the Practice

  • Still too early to know but hopefully positive changes
  • Otolaryngologist are likely going to benefit given the level of office complexity/decision making and use of office procedures
  • Need to show your decision making thought processes (ex: surgery vs. medical therapy)
    • Less documenting a checklist in the EMR than before
    • Hopefully will be more beneficial
  • Now can count time reviewing chart and coordinating care

Changing Templates

  • Put in the thought process more and document time spent on all task
    • Then decide if better to code complexity vs. time
    • Important to document as much as possible
      • If review something (order, image, etc.) need to document it
      • Make sure if prescribing or ordering medication to document why you are doing this/what you explained to patient
  • May want new smart phase templates for the Assessment&Plan Section   
    • May want to meet with coder before making templates
    • Notes should focus more on risk
      • Ex: risk of missing diagnosis; risk of medications (i.e. prednisone; singular); risk of anaphylaxis with allergy immunotherapy/testing
    • All the things said to the patient should be listed (things that in past often were not documented)
      • Ex: risk of CT and MRI; listing next steps “if CT scan reveals sinus disease and fails medical treatment will need surgery”
  • Consider removing parts of template that aren’t as important
    • Doing more focus physical exam (PE) (ex: removing listening to the lungs)
    • Review of System (ROS), PE and past history are less important to document
      • May want to hold off on getting rid of some of these things such as ROS as it can help prove complexity and decision making
    • Hopefully this will help to shift away from the auto-populated charts and to more meaningful information in the charts

Recommendation for Auditing

  • Recommend doing audit given coding changes
    • Especially if anticipating large change in billing
    • Coder can help you make sure you actual do make these changes in your billing behaviors and get credit for things you already do
    • Will be important as we don’t know if the payers will actually pay for these changes and if payors will do more auditing because of the new system
    • There are nuances that auditor may pick up on that aren’t specifically in the new coding guidelines
      • Ex: Changes with audiogram and documentation
  • Before new changes most did biannually vs. yearly – at least 10 ( usually 10-20) across different providers
    • Can help find areas of under-maximizing revenue too
    • Beneficial to get same company/same auditor each time if possible  
    • Also helpful to do monthly audit on billing/codes and compare to partners, nation and state – ideally want to be similar

Changes Everyone Should Know

  • Make sure to add the risks (ex: topical steroid spray, CT scans)
    • Esp. important if patients are able to read their own charts
  • Make sure to include in notes/consider templates for medication risk, differential diagnosis, risk of no treatment vs. conservative treatment vs. aggressive management
  • Time on all task (pre-charting, looking at past history, writing orders and documenting) can change level of billing  
  • Will continue to need to continue to be flexible with new coding system
    • Talk with other doctors and get input
    • Get comfortable with new terminology

For Further Information visit the AAOA website

  • Resources available on the website (https://aaoallergy.org/advocacy-updates/changes-to-e-m-codes-beginning-on-january-1st/)
  • Prior education offerings on coding from AAOA that could be found in your AAOA Member profile.

View the CMS Coding 2021 Zoomcast.

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