Digital transformation and innovation investments are expanding. One day soon we’ll be able to remotely monitor patients, make sure they’re compliant with their treatments, and improve access to care for those who can’t make it to a physician’s office.
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March 2022If the pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that working in collaboration can bring the swiftest and most creative solutions to our problems. The significance of clinical research will be magnified when we can standardize data collection and combine our unique local patient populations to come to a powerful conclusion on what does and doesn’t work for all patients.
It also isn’t enough for us to recognize the lack of diversity within our specialty: We must have the courage to act, building programs and dedicating resources to bring in more diverse thoughts and backgrounds to ensure all our patients have trust in our care.
And we cannot continue to ignore the gender pay gap—every provider needs to be paid fairly and equally. Workforce shortages make it essential to retain good otolaryngologists; perpetuating the pay gap will further disenfranchise our female colleagues.
Finally, we must double down on our communities. It’s the influence in our backyard, not the individual perceptions of our national reputations, that will be our legacy. What we do in our community matters, whether that’s providing high-quality, evidence-based care, working to eliminate healthcare disparities, or partnering to focus clinical research ideas so that they are relevant to the people we serve.
With disruption brings opportunity, and I’m excited to see what you leaders will do. Be well, and I look forward to talking soon.
–Alex