President’s Report 2018
GENERAL SOCIETY MATTERS:
The number of members serving on Exco has been increased to ensure that there is adequate regional representation on the committee. The Chairperson of Manco is a guest member of Exco, thereby ensuring cooperation between the two governing bodies of our Society. There remains a great need for the younger members of our society to be nominated and elected onto both Exco and Manco boards.
The membership of our society has remained stable and currently we have 206 members in Private Practice, 32 members in limited private practice and 33 members in full time academic institutions. There are currently 65 registrars and 19 Affiliate member Medical Officers.
The History book of the ENT Society is now available in electronic format on the ENT website.
The abuse of RWOPS by certain members is still a major concern to the Society and Medical Aid companies – we are actively monitoring the situation to ensure that those registrars in training have sufficient access to tuition from their consultants at the various academic institutions.
The academic departments continue to produce high quality specialists, excellent exam results and world class academic papers in difficult and financially trying circumstances. Dr Andile Sibiya has recently been appointed as the new HOD of University of KwaZulu Natal.
The College of Medicine board exams have moved to a “single best answer multiple choice” format with no essays – this is in keeping with the rest of the academic world.
ENT WEBSITE / JOURNALS / CPD:
The relationship between the ENT Society, E2 solutions and Healthman needs some clarification. E2 solutions are now only involved in supplying the software for the ENT Website and the technical support of the software. Healthman now supplies back up and technical support for the website e.g. communications, private e-mail addresses, ADSL, events organizing, etc.
The Journal Section on the ENT website currently has two journals viz. Current Opinions in Otolaryngology and Otolaryngology Clinics of North America in operation at present. The Laryngoscope journal remains inaccessible to our members despite the society purchasing an institutional membership fee. Healthman is working on an application which would allow members to access the Laryngoscope in the near future.
A new application has been purchased by the ENT Society for CPD purposes allowing members to scan attendance at Journal Club meetings AND at congresses, thereby ensuring that all CPD activities are now on ONE platform.
SAPPF MATTERS:
The members of the ENT Society automatically become members of SAPPF which allows access to their staff who are specialists in coding issues. These coding specialists are available to our members to assist with any real and complicated coding issues that our members may have.
Training on how to code and bill patients correctly is to be offered for senior registrars and consultants, preferably as stand-alone sessions at our future annual congresses. I remind members that it is their responsibility to ensure that their billing practice is above reproach and caution each individual member to ensure that, should they use billing companies, they check the accuracy and legitimacy of the bills sent to patients.
CONGRESSES:
James Loock and his organizing committee are to be congratulated for the very successful 2018 congress held in conjunction with the World Audiology Congress in Cape Town.
This year’s meeting of 2019 in Durban sees a new format for the exhibitors and is also a joint venture with SORSSA – the program looks exciting and we look forward to another successful congress.
The 2020 congress will be in Johannesburg from 30/10/2020 – 01/11/2020 at the Sandton Convention Centre. The SA Society of Audiologists will be joining us for this congress.
The 2021 congress will be organized by the Bloemfontein group – the dates and venue are still to be decided.
FINANCES:
The finances of the Society are still in a very strong position thanks to diligent financial planning and controls implemented by Exco and the treasurers’ past and present. Jacques Viljoen is the current treasurer and will be presenting the current status of our finances at the AGM. Copies of the financials have been forwarded to all members for their perusal and comment.
NHI:
The NHI is being actively promoted by the Health Department despite their questionable pilot studies and uncertainties about the financing thereof.
The Public Health system in South Africa is desperately in need of an upgrade to ensure quality healthcare for the entire population of our country – whether the NHI is the best vehicle to achieve this goal is questionable at this stage.
John H Black
M.B.Ch.B; F.C.S. (L et O); M.Med (Otol.)
President, South African Society of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
November 2019 – Durban