Your #OTOMTG25 Private Practitioners Guide

Show Me the Money: Simple Strategies to Improve the Bottom Line of Your Practice

Saturday, October 11 | 9:30 – 10:30 am (ET)

Otolaryngologists across practice settings continue to face serious financial challenges. Many of these challenges are due to economic and political forces beyond our control. Yet our ability to care for the Otolaryngologic needs of our community depends on the financial viability and solvency of our practice. As costs rise and reimbursements fail to keep up with increases in the cost of living, it becomes even more important to look for opportunities to increase revenue and improve efficiency.

This panel will discuss best practices, pearls and pitfalls, and strategies to help improve the margin and bottom line of your practice. Many of these strategies are simple and inexpensive to implement. The updated 2025 edition of this panel will cover topics including scribes, virtual assistants, AI-based back office and business solutions, harnessing the power of your EMR, audiology assistants, Group Purchasing Organizations, employee retention, improving clinic efficiency, and novel ideas for ancillary income streams. Panelists include entrepreneurs, experienced clinicians, and managing partners of small, medium and large size practices.

Women in Private Practice: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities

Saturday, October 11 | 2:30 – 3:30 pm (ET)

In the evolving landscape of private practice, women face unique challenges that require innovative and sustainable solutions to thrive. This session, Women in Private Practice: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities, will feature panelists sharing real-life obstacles they’ve encountered and the strategies they implemented to overcome them. From navigating leadership roles and managing practice growth to balancing work-life demands, this session provides actionable insights tailored to otolaryngologists in private practice. Attendees will also have the opportunity to present their own challenges to the panel for live discussion, fostering an interactive and supportive environment. This session is designed to empower participants with practical tools, inspiration, and strategies to turn obstacles into stepping stones for personal and professional success.

Pardon the OTO-Ruption: Private Practice

Sunday, October 12 | 9:30 – 10:30 am (ET)

In this session, enjoy a lively and engaging discussion moderated by Dr. Sujana S. Chandrasekhar and featuring four spirited private practice panelists, who bring their unique perspectives and insightful answers to this fast-paced question and answer session about all things private practice. From potentially controversial topics in private practice to the routine overlooked topics that are still important, listen in as they bring their candid takes on such issues ranging from revenue cycle management with outsourcing billing vs. hiring in-house to offering ancillary services to learning best practices in employee engagement and retention.

“Patients Come Second,” Focus on Staff Engagement for Best Patient Experience and a Thriving Practice

Sunday, October 12 | 9:30 – 10:30 am (ET)

In healthcare, patient experience has been examined for decades with the goal of providing excellent customer service as the means. Amidst the challenges of this era, increasing use of technology, demands for increasing productivity while delivering safe patient care, let’s face it: employees (both clinical and non-clinical) get treated like second-class citizens. The result is often depersonalization, poor communication, and compassion fatigue. In this session, we will examine the relationship between employee engagement and optimal patient experience through the lens of a book entitled “Patients Come Second,” by Paul Spiegelman and Britt Berrett, which forever changed the way the presenters lead their teams and practices in both hospital and office settings. What we have found is that the highest rated providers and most successful practices are led by those who focus first on a staff culture of engagement, psychological safety, and genuine concern for the well-being of the people who make up the organization at all levels. With such conditions, accountability and reliability of the staff increase, customer satisfaction and loyalty peak, and measures of success will follow the same trajectory.

OPPS Coffee Talks with ASCENT: Tips & Tools for Success

Sunday, October 12 and Monday, October 13 | 10:00 – 11:00 am (ET)

Roundtable discussions on key business challenges, led by thought leaders from the AAO-HNS Otolaryngology Private Practice Section (OPPS) and ASCENT.
Planned topics include:

• AI and Technology in Private Practice
• Building an ENT Urgent Care Center
• Marketing & Reputation Management
• Best Practices in Compensation Models: Physicians, APPs, and More…
• Contract Negotiations
• Expanding and Optimizing Allergy Ancillaries
• Expanding and Optimizing Audiology and the Hearing Healthcare Team
• Mesa Redonda: Temas Diversos en Práctica Privada de Otorrinolaringología

Great Debates: Nonoperative Otolaryngology Pathway

Sunday, October 12 | 11:00 – 12:00 pm (ET)

Should otolaryngology embrace an expedited training pathway for limited-scope or medical ENT practice? In this high-stakes Great Debate, leading voices from academia and private practice clash over the risks, rewards, and real-world implications of a 3–4-year non-operative track with the option of earlier fellowship specialization. Will this innovation expand access and modernize the field—or dilute expertise and worsen workforce woes? Join us for a lively session that promises sharp insights, opinions, and a forward-looking vision for our specialty.

Unlocking the Power of Allyship to Advance Health Equity in Otolaryngology: Building Bridges Toward Belonging

Sunday, October 12 | 1:00 – 2:00 pm (ET)

This longstanding panel on inclusive excellence in otolaryngology is updated in 2025 to consider how recent legislative, judicial and societal trends are affecting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. New policies and public debate have prompted changes in DEI policies across healthcare, and there is a growing need for allyship and resilient systems. This session explores how policy shifts can affect educational opportunities, workplace diversity, and healthcare outcomes. Panelists will address questions, such as: “What does it mean to be an ally in the current climate?”, “How can we foster a sense of belonging despite structural challenges?”, and “How can organizations adapt to navigate restrictions on DEI initiatives?”

Identifying Barriers to Providing Allergy Services Within Otolaryngology Practices

Sunday, October 12 | 1:18 – 1:24 pm (ET)

With the prevalence of allergy-related disorders in the U.S. continuing to increase, more otolaryngologists are implementing related services into their practice. Here, we aim to understand trends of otolaryngologists offering allergy services and barriers to doing so.

Incorporating Clinical Research into Your Practice

Sunday, October 12 | 4:00 – 5:00 pm (ET)

Clinical trials provide patients with treatment options which otherwise might not be available, and there are no new therapies to offer without the studies which prove safety and efficacy. Trial sites are needed across all practice types and settings to maximize recruitment of participants reflecting the diverse populations we serve. Many practices are unaware of both the need and opportunity, lack experience and infrastructure, and have limited exposure to study sponsors, all of which serve as barriers.

The panelists have participated in over 150 clinical trials and represent both private practice and academic sites. Panelists will share their experience overcoming barriers and accomplishing successful recruitment and trial completion. Efforts to achieve recruitment more reflective of the diverse US population will be discussed.

Best Practices in Incorporating APPs into Practice

Monday, October 13 | 1:00 – 2:00 pm (ET)

This session will explore best practices for integrating Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) into an otolaryngology (ENT) practice, with a focus on optimizing patient care, improving patient access and efficiency, and enhancing team dynamics. As healthcare demands continue to grow, the role of APPs has become increasingly critical in ENT settings. This presentation will offer practical strategies for effectively incorporating APPs into ENT teams, addressing key considerations such as recruitment, scope of practice, ENT training, compensation, and collaborative care models. We will highlight how APPs can support providers in managing patient loads, improve access to care, and maintain high-quality outcomes, while also promoting professional satisfaction among all team members and practice revenue. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how to build a sustainable, effective APP-driven approach in their practice, and the positive impact it can have on both patient care and operational efficiency in otolaryngology.

How We Practice Today: A Panel Discussion of Private Equity, Group, Hospital Based Private Practice

Monday, October 13 | 1:00 – 2:00 pm (ET)

A panel discussion of PE backed, large group and hospital based practice in our current economic environment. Many private practices are finding it difficult to thrive and are looking for ways to remain clinically independent while improving how the business is run.

Setting Up and Maximizing an Ambulatory Surgery Center for Success

Monday, October 13 | 4:00 – 5:00 pm (ET)

Private practice otolaryngologists are increasingly facing economic and logistical challenges. This program will offer attendees a thorough exploration of the benefits and potential pitfalls of establishing an Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) within their practice. Panelists will present various strategies for incorporating an ASC, sharing their personal experiences in developing one and discussing the pros and cons of each approach. Critical considerations for setting up an ASC will be reviewed including regulatory compliance, financial planning and funding, partnership structure, location and facility layout, staffing, anesthesia, contracts, quality control, risk management, and physician recruitment. The program will also cover key elements of a successfully run ASC, including management, patient satisfaction, profitability and operational efficiency.

Practice Aggregation and Value Creation: How 3 Different Practices Models Have Grown to Create Value

Tuesday, October 14 | 9:30 – 10:30 am (ET)

Private practice otolaryngologists face headwinds related to rising costs and falling reimbursement. Maintenance of strong private otolaryngology practices is of critical national interest to serve our local communities by providing high-quality, cost-effective care. In this panel, we will present the tools that three different practices have used to solve some of the most pressing challenges/issues faced by private practice otolaryngologists including: 1) Decision making and governance structures in mid and large sized practices, 2) Access to capital: use of debt versus outside capital, 3) Related Entities and alignment of financial interests, 4) Physician recruitment and retention, 5) Practice merger and acquisition 6) Payer contracting – has it improved? 7) Inflation – Cost of goods and services, 8) Use of advanced practice providers. We will review the mechanisms used by each of the practices to solve these and other challenges. We will share our histories including our successes and our challenges and describe plans for future growth and the tools we plan to employ to maintain our independence.

Making the Transition from Trainee to Practicing Surgeon: Perspectives from Academic, Private Practice, and Military

Tuesday, October 14 | 1:00 – 2:00 pm (ET)

Residency and fellowship training involves many years of hard work, gaining proficiency in surgery, office procedures, patient care, and numerous other technical skills. In addition, competencies in professionalism, teamwork, communication, and collaboration are honed during these years. However, the transition from trainee to practicing surgeon may not be easy, as one moves from a relatively protected subordinate position into an independent professional. Many surprises await as one enters the workforce, and there are lessons to be learned that are not covered during training. In this panel we will share experiences of three individuals who have made the transition from fellowship training into different practices, including academic, private, and military. Each will describe their journey after training, including tips on what they wished they had been taught during residency and fellowship. Discussion topics will include contract negotiation, interactions with institutional/administrative leadership, coding/billing/reimbursement issues, relationships with partners and support staff, building a practice, medicolegal risk management, career advancement, maintaining physical and mental health, financial planning, and work/life/family balance. Panelists will offer valuable advice to others in the audience who are anticipating or experiencing similar transitions. Training program directors and faculty will also learn how they can better prepare their trainees for the workplace.

Business of Medicine/Practice Management Track

Gain valuable insights on financial management, practice growth, and leadership from industry experts through the Business of Medicine/Practice Management Track.

Explore the Full Education Program

View the full education program to start planning your schedule.

Presidents’ Reception

Saturday, October 11 | 6:00 pm (ET)

The Presidents’ Reception is an unforgettable occasion affording attendees ample time to network and connect with colleagues from around the globe. The 2025 Presidents’ Reception will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium.

OPPS General Assembly

Sunday, October 12 | 1:00 PM (ET)

Hear from the current and future leaders of the Otolaryngology Private Practice Section (OPPS) and chart the course for the next year. Additionally, join us as we celebrate this year’s Spirit of Private Practice Award recipient, recognizing a member who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, business acumen, and dedication to the sustainability of independent otolaryngology practices.

Additional Events

We also encourage you to attend the General Assemblies of the Sections for Residents and Fellows-in-Training, Young Physicians, and Women in Otolaryngology, participate as a guest in committee meetings of interest, and discover the most comprehensive display of the latest products and services in the OTO EXPO!

Childcare Program | Mini ENT Camp

Full-day and half-day programs for infants and children will be available during the 2025 Annual Meeting. Infants and toddlers will have separate play and rest areas, and will have access to toys and activities designed to let babies and toddlers explore, play and take in their surroundings as their age and interest level allows. Pre-school and school-aged children will be engaged through instructive play activities while fostering sharing and collaboration. Registration closes on September 11. Onsite registration will not be available. Learn more and register here.

Wellness Zone sponsored by Sanofi

Surgeons often prioritize patient care over their own wellbeing. This new experience in the OTO EXPO area is designed to help surgeons decompress and recharge through the following offerings:

• Reflexology
• Compression + Eye Massage
• Red Light Therapy
• Rapid Release Massage
• Immunity Bar
• Wellness Pantry
• Wellness Classes

The Academy hopes that surgeons take some of these actionable strategies home to implement long-term to reduce stress.