THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY
What the society does for me?
WHAT DOES THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY OF OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY AND HEAD AND NECK SURGERY DO FOR US?
The Executive Committee members of The South African Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery are elected representatives of the vast majority of members of the ENT profession and labour without remuneration for the ENT profession. Their main function is to coordinate all the activities of the profession through various subcommittees dedicated to work in the interest of the members by looking after the needs of our profession.
The South African Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery:
1. Speaks as the collective voice for the ENT fraternity on Provincial and National issues common to ENT practitioners.
2. Protects the boundaries of your specialty. Any unwarranted or suspected encroachment on our area of expertise by another party will be vigorously opposed or defended by the ENT Society.
3. Protects individual members unfairly treated or discriminated against by Funders or any third party. This function has been delegated to the ENT Management subcommittee.
4. Engages proactively with the Department of Health, HPCSA, College of ORL, CMSA and SAMA on matters pertaining to our specialty.
5. By assisting to maintain excellent Academic standards, preserves the high regard for your South African qualification.
6. Encourages and supports the formation of special interest groups within the specialty.
Academic subcommittee:
7. Supports interaction, dialogue, planning and improving curricula, and the introduction of change to accommodate new technology and techniques through the Academic subcommittee; all to improve registrar training and to keep abreast with International Norms and Standards of excellence.
8. Encourages research and allocates solicited Research Grants to research projects, quality assured, by the Academic subcommittee and provides funds for statistical analysis of some research projects to ensure quality standards. ENT Congress subcommittee:
9. Arranges for subcommittees to organize and convene Annual Congresses with reputable speakers and relevant topics.
10. Provides a platform for registrars to present papers or posters to a National and International audience.
11. Substantially reduces the Congress registration fee for paid up members.
Continued Medical Education:
12. By supporting a healthy Academic environment, private ENT specialists benefit and are kept informed by way of Continued Medical Education (CME) formats.
13. Provides the platform for securing CPD points through Journal Club support and Annual Congresses where provision is made for at least 2 Ethical points per Congress.
14. Encourages and supports Journal Clubs for CME. In discussion with Drug companies endorses and promotes support to individual Journal Clubs for journal subscriptions, venue and catering budgets.
Funding:
15. Provides funds to defray the expenses of the Academic subcommittee meetings.
16. Supports registrars who produce papers or posters of quality for presentation at Congresses financially, by reimbursement of the Congress registration fee and awarding a Travel Grant to those from "out of town".
17. Rewards registrars financially for papers of excellence that qualify for the registrars' prizes.
18. Provides funds for, and the selection of, a candidate from State employed consultants for The John Hamilton Training Grant.
19. Allocates Grants to University ENT Departments for use entirely at their own discretion
20. Supports Journal Clubs financially with journal subscription where they fail to secure sponsorship for this from Drug companies.
21. Remunerates the Tariff subcommittee for time spent in meetings at negotiating forums.
22. Negotiates with Drug companies to fund travel, registration and accommodation for eligible candidates to Congresses, workshops or courses.
23. Has funded the establishment of an ENT website and continues to fund its maintenance.
Peer Review:
24. Provides peer review on issues submitted by patients, Funders, the Legal fraternity and colleagues; done by peers in your specialty so that an informed, balanced opinion is rendered.
Tariff subcommittee:
25. Through the tariff subcommittee, negotiates with the relevant institutions to secure fair and equitable recognition of and remuneration for services provided by our discipline. This is an active ongoing process.
Practice management:
26. Supports and encourages negotiation by the ENT management subcommittee for group scheme insurance benefits, free internet connectivity, practice management and ancillary services.
27. Offers through the ENT Management Subcommittee a group function for collecting and processing ENT related data and research information to facilitate negotiations with Funders, the Department of Health, Educational bodies and SAMA.
Member interaction:
28. Provides a forum for all ENT practitioners to interact with one another, call for assistance or information, and solicit collective action on matters of common interest.
Member support:
29. Assists handicapped / impaired SAMA members with approaching SAMA to access the Benevolent Fund.
30. Assists members and members' families who have been involved in traumatic incidents with regard to Lega land financial advice via the Management Subcommittee.