Dr. Hector Ruiz

NUEVO EDIFICIO DE LA ACADEMIA AMERICANA DE OTORRINOLARINGOLOGIA Y CIRGUGIA DE CABEZA Y CUELLO

American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

 www.entnet.org

American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery
1650 Diagonal Road
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-836-4444

 

American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation
Foundation Committee Meeting Minutes Report

Committee name: Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking Advisory Group (SPAG)

Chair: Roy R Casiano MD

Meeting date/time: Saturday, September 8, 2001, 3:30 pm—4:30 pm

Meeting place: Adams Mark Hotel, Street Level Director’s Row H, Denver, Colorado

Roll call: Present:-Ricardo Ferreira Bento, MD, PhD, Daniel Bross-Soriano, MD, Edgar Chiossone, MD, Roy R. Casiano, MD (Chair), Ramon Crespo, MD, Antonio De la Cruz, MD, Fernando Luis Dias, MD, PhD, David W. Kennedy, MD (Board Liaison), Anthony J. Maniglia, MD, Eugene N. Myers, MD (Coordinator for International Affairs), Primitivo Ortega del Alamo, MD, Ernesto U. Ried, MD, Hector E. Ruiz, MD.  Guest: Anthony de la Cruz, MD, Catherine R. Lincoln, staff liaison
Absent – Alivar Jones Cardoso, MD, Miguel A Lacour MD,

Discussion:

1. Initiation of SPAG and Its Charge: Welcoming the new group as the chair of the International Otolaryngology Committee, Dr. Kennedy said that it was his pleasure to convey the good wishes of the Board and to give the group its charge.  He announced that Dr. Casiano will preside over the SPAG, whose meetings will be held ahead of the International Otolaryngology Committee, so that he can report on its discussions and recommendations.  Dr. Kennedy thanked Dr. Ruiz and others who provided ideas and motivation for the formation of the group, whose concept is outreach to Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking audiences.
2. Background: Explaining why a Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking Advisory Group has been established, Dr. Myers stated that there is a need for appropriate materials and educational formats for Latin American and Iberian audiences. In the last five years, international initiatives included making the Annual Meeting user-friendlier with multilingual staff; the new membership categories of International Fellows and Members; the International Corresponding Societies, now amounting to 16, joint meetings with these societies.
3. Discussion:
   1. Internet Membership: Responding to Dr. De la Cruz’s inquiry about International Internet membership, Dr. Myers explained that it is intended for people who want to be involved through the Internet.
   2. Dr. Bross recommended that a page of the website be dedicated to Spanish and Portuguese.
   3. Dr. Kennedy noted the need to have someone at the convention center entrance.  He also encouraged people coming to the Annual Meeting for the first time to attend the special orientation and reception.
   4. Stressing that it is vital to stimulate the first visit, Dr. De la Cruz asked for ideas to encourage residents to come, such as a price break for first time attendees.  Dr. Myers responded that some International Travel Grants are given and they are seeking ways through ENT News to find support for international guest scholars.  He proposed that International Corresponding Societies should name an individual (faculty member) to attend Annual Meeting and then visit noted otolaryngology centers.
   5. The group discussed free registration for residents, discount packages on hotels and airfares for physicians and residents, and reduced rates for first-time attendees to promote exposure to the meeting.  The group encouraged choice of meeting location based on ease of travel, with major hubs.
   6. The SPAG proposed setting up a subcommittee of the program committee to recommend appropriate courses for international visitors.

Committee assignments: Dr. Bross offered to translate the registration form and Instruction Course application.
Next meeting: Annual Meeting, San Diego, California, September 22-25, 2002 (date/room to be
announced)
Report submitted by: Catherine R. Lincoln, staff liaison
Date submitted:August 3, 2002
Staff time: One hour

Spanish- and Portuguese-Speaking Advisory Group Minutes

– Chair: Roy Casiano, MD
– Meeting date/time: September 21, 2003 10:00 am – Meeting place: AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida             
– Roll call: Present – Roy R Casiano MD, Chair (Miami), Ricardo Ferreira Bento MD PhD (Brazil), Manuel Bernal-Sprekelsen, MD (Spain), Daniel Bross-Soriano MD (Mexico), Edgar Chiossone MD (Venezuela), Roxana Cobo Sefair MD (Colombia), Ramon Crespo MD (Panama), Antonio De la Cruz MD (Los Angeles), Juan Manuel Garcia Gomez MD (Colombia), David W Kennedy MD, chair, International Otolaryngology Committee (Philadelphia), Catherine R Lincoln, staff liaison, Hector E Ruiz MD (Argentina), Guests: Frank Astor, editor, ENT News Espanol (Miami), Ms. Katie Hunt, ENT News Espanol (Edinburgh).
Excused Absence – Alivar Jones Cardoso MD (Portugal), Fernando Luis Dias MD PhD (Brazil), Anthony J Maniglia MD (Miami), Ernesto U Ried MD (Chile), KJ Lee, MD, Coordinator-elect for International Affairs, Eugene N. Myers, MD, Coordinator for International Affairs, Aldo Cassol Stamm MD PhD, Resigned: Primitivo Ortega del Alamo MD.

– Summary of Action items for Board of Directors:

1. The group passed a resolution to offer Instruction Courses in foreign languages free on a trial basis.

– Summary of Committee assignments:

1. Dr. Bross will publicize the New York meeting in Mexico.

– Discussions:

1. Review Committee Charge: After calling the meeting to order, Dr. Casiano introduced Dr. Astor and Ms. Hunt as guests from ENT News Espanol.  Thanking Dr. Primitivo Ortega for his service to the group, Dr. Casiano welcomed Dr. Manual Bernal as the Spanish representative.  Dr. Casiano hoped to hear the group’s views on issues of concern, as stated in the charge.  Dr. Kennedy welcomed SPAG members on behalf of the International Otolaryngology Committee, noting that Latin America is the Academy’s most important overseas constituency for fulfilling educational needs.  He acts as their advocate to Board of Directors in seeing to the implementation of changes.
2. Review of Minutes from September 22, 2002: The committee reviewed and approved the minutes.
3. Update on the Panamerican Congress, Guatemala: Reminding the group that the next Congress would take place November 2003, Dr. Casiano requested information for the Congress website, which links to that of the Panamerican Association.  Dr. Bross cautioned the group that, because many colleagues do not use the Internet, societies should distribute information with their newsletters.  Dr. Cobo stressed the need for a call for papers.  Drs. Chiossone and Casiano will meet in Miami to discuss arrangements.
4. Liaison with Pan American Association: Since the purely philanthropic mission of the Panamerican Association is to deliver education to the underserved parts of Latin America, Dr. Casiano wants to put free information on its website.  Because most of their constituents do not speak or read English, Dr. Bross recommended selecting and translating the best articles.  Dr. Casiano has posted some manuscripts on the Panamerican website, but his university website has copyright issues.  Dr. Garcia is working to reach otolaryngologists in small cities through E-learning courses in Spanish, which he helped develop.  Dr. Casiano offered to announce the availability of this service at www.panamorl.org after loading the links to the Colombian and other societies.
5. Liaison with International Corresponding Societies:
   1. Mexico: Dr. Bross said the Mexican Society would help with publicity for the 2004 Annual Meeting in New York and inquired about group registration for non-otolaryngologists, such as phoniatrists.
   2. Venezuela: Dr. Chiossone reported on a productive meeting with Dr Eugene Myers and Dr. KJ Lee to plan a joint meeting at the Triological meeting, Caracas, Venezuela November 2004.  The Academy is exploring arrangements to donate journals to the societies.  Dr. Casiano noted it is better to deliver journals online rather than in hard copy format.  Dr. de la Cruz, however, asked for a delay of six months to a year to prevent undermining paid subscriptions.
   3. Brazil: Dr. Bento announced that international conferences in Brazil: ISIAN 2005 in Sao Paulo, the Panamerican 2006 in Iguaçu, and the IFOS World Congress 2009.
   4. Argentina: Dr. Ruiz noted that, two years ago, they discussed a joint meeting but have not finalized details.
6. 2004 Annual Meeting, New York Planning: The group expressed appreciation that this year the hotels were cheaper and the shuttle system was working well but expressed concern about cheaper hotels in New York.  The group requested more signage to give directions and so on, but felt that cheaper hotels were more critical.
7. Instruction Courses:  The group remarked that instructional courses that used to be $15 went up to $35, with a charge to change courses, and registration went from $250 to $320.  Attendance at Dr. Casiano’s course dropped to 15 and Dr. Chiossone’s to three.  Quoting the law of diminishing returns, there was a consensus that Spanish Instruction courses would collapse if Spanish speakers were overpriced.  If the onsite course registration is set at $50 to minimize onsite staff costs, then the Academy is shooting itself in the foot–imagine what would happen in New York!  Dr. De la Cruz said he would ask the Coordinator for Instruction Courses, Dr. Andrew Blitzer, about Instruction Courses in Spanish. When Dr. Casiano called for a review of the funding sources, Dr. Chiossone noted the meeting has fixed expenses and Dr. Kennedy stressed that the Academy has budgeting challenges.  Expressing concern about a drop in attendance, Dr. Astor urged the Academy to focus goals for Latin America such as discounting Spanish courses just as the Europeans discount fees for East Europeans.  Dr. Casiano and Dr. Kennedy feared that Americans would object to a double standard, but perhaps have Spanish Instruction Courses could be offered free on a trial basis.  Dr. Casiano thought part of the problem was lack of awareness.  Responding to Dr. Chiossone’s statement that New York is expensive, Dr. De la Cruz reported he attended a cochlear meeting there with 600 international registrants.  While Dr. Crespo said that there should be an extra charge for translation, Dr. Cobo felt that attendees could read slides in English.  The group passed a resolution to make foreign language courses free on a trial basis.
8. International member recruitment: Dr. Garcia observed that for many members dues are an issue because they often need pharmaceutical company support to pay dues.  While these companies can help with meeting travel, international members do not pay dues every year because they cannot be sure of coming each year.  He advocated joint e-learning meetings in Spanish, which can receive pharmaceutical support.  Dr. Bross with help from Dr. Garcia and Dr. Astor encouraged a commitment to go to International Otolaryngology Committee to register a course for New York.  To Dr. Astor’s inquiry about lowering the international member fee, Dr. Bross noted that, since most international members do not use the Bulletin, the Academy could offer membership without the Bulletin at a saving of $40 or $50 from the current dues of $340.
9. 2003 International Survey: The group asked to see the tabulated survey results for Latin America.

– Next meeting: Next Meeting:  September 19-22, 2004, Jacob Javits Convention Center, New York, NY (date, room to be announced)
– Report submitted by Catherine R. Lincoln
– Date submitted: Wednesday, October 22, 2003