AHNS Humanitarian Outreach

As my Presidential Initiative, I would like to propose a new endeavor of AHNS to support members interested in humanitarian outreach activities. This will be executed through a new committee, which has been approved by AHNS Council and will appear in 2010 bylaws. I will appoint an adhoc committee for 2009-10 using presidential prerogative.

RATIONALE:  In my experience on 5 short-term medical overseas projects, I have observed a great need for high quality head and neck surgical services which are sorely lacking or non-existent in many areas of the world.  The need is both for services given directly to the poorer segments of society by North American surgeons, and for support of education and training of surgeons in their home regions.

The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery has a Humanitarian Committee and program, and the American College of Surgeons publishes on humanitarian endeavors and issues often in its Bulletin. However, the AAOHNS group is largely comprised of otologists and plastic surgeons who go overseas to repair cleft lips and palates. The particular needs of patients with benign and malignant tumors of the head and neck are not addressed in a systematic way by our sister organizations. There are AHNS members who regularly participate in medical outreach, but no forum exists for the exchange of information and mutual encouragement.

Several AHNS Head and Neck Fellowships regularly train foreign surgeons with the hope that they will return to their home country and provide leadership, training, and service in underserved areas of the world. However, many of these individuals end up staying in North America. Organizations like the Pan African Association of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) seek to train surgeons in their home regions so that training is specific to the environment in which they will practice, and lifestyle opportunities are sustainable.

PROPOSAL:  AHNS Council will establish a Humanitarian Committee with the following charge:  The Humanitarian Committee will encourage and support the efforts of AHNS membership to assist underserved populations at home and abroad through volunteer activities and will seek to develop shared resources for communication, encouragement, development of resources and organization of activities. [AHNS does not endorse or encourage any particular faith, but recognizes that good work and opportunities are often accomplished by particular faith-based organizations. Individual members are free to work with such organizations, and the AHNS humanitarian committee will support their efforts in an ecumenical nonsectarian manner.]

Some specific suggestions:

  • Website resource of opportunities to serve overseas, including brief accounts of members’ experiences, contact information for networking, etc.

  • Seminars, panel discussions to disseminate information and experience to members interested in participating in projects. (both at AHNS, AAOH NS and ACS annual meetings)

  • Organize support activities such as donation of used text books, supplies, etc for distribution overseas.

  • Formulate steering committee for H&N support of overseas training in our specialty for groups such as PAACS.

  • Undertake investigation and strategic planning to address challenges encountered on outreach projects in the delivery of best care within the confines of limited resources.

  • Raise funds to support participation in projects by nurses, fellows, CRNAs.

  • Consider establishing a web-based consultation service for full-time overseas local and mission surgeons with H&N related questions.

  • Develop plan and infrastructure for demographic data collection for clinical research re: Head and neck disorders in overseas locations

We are planning a brief organizational meeting at the annual meeting in Phoenix, at 12 noon on Saturday May 30th. Location will be announced. If you are interested in humanitarian outreach, and would like to consider helping with this initiative, please plan to attend. If you cannot attend the meeting, but are interested, please let me know at wkoch@jhmi.edu

Thanks

Wayne Koch