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DECEMBER 2021 ENT Newsletter
A Letter from the Chair
Leading the Way in Education and Technology
Together we’ve climbed some steep mountains in health care, and this year was no exception. It’s remarkable to see the resilience of our medical community and the innovation that continues to move us forward. We’ve made huge strides in telemedicine that otherwise might’ve taken another five to 10 years to accomplish, and we’re seeing the benefits of new and emerging technology in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery.
The pandemic has been a disrupter that forced rapid adoption of technology-driven solutions in health care. From an education and technology standpoint, it’s important for an academic center like ours to take the lead on vetting new technologies, doing the research, and publishing peer-reviewed papers. This allows us to identify gaps and areas for improvement so we can find better solutions for the next iteration.
Mas Takashima, MD, FACS
With the support and resources of Houston Methodist’s Academic Office of Clinical Trials, we use research and data to better understand potential health care disrupters and stay ahead of potential challenges. At the start of the pandemic, we realized that health care delivery models would change, and we recognized an urgent need to use data to inform decisions. We thus reviewed the impact of COVID-19 on the clinical practice of our specialty and published our findings in The Laryngoscope journal.
Through this research, we shed light on the unique challenges of using telemedicine in our specialty. We typically require a physical exam that involves looking into the small orifices of the nose, ears, mouth and throat, which is hard to do in a virtual setting. We have vetted medical device companies that are developing specialized tools for otolaryngologists, including internet-connected otoscopes and tongue depressors equipped with cameras. These telemedicine tools are still lacking in image quality, but we’re continuing to discover ways to improve virtual care for our patients.
During the pandemic, the volume of OR surgical cases declined, which led to a shortage of educational opportunities for trainees. Although this was a major disrupter, we used the time to advance high-tech solutions to meet the needs for medical education and training. For example, our Otolaryngology – Head and Neck surgery residents are training with the 3D Surgical Theater, which offers a virtual reality experience that loads up patient imaging in a 3D model. We’re also in the early stages of utilizing an Oculus VR system and Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 system in the MITIE sim center, providing a full spectrum of educational opportunities in a virtual platform.
I invite you to read more about groundbreaking technology enhancements underway in the MITIE Institute in this newsletter. As always, we value your collaboration and feedback, and we look forward to partnering with you on complex cases in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck surgery.
Mas Takashima, MD, FACS
Professor and Chair
Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery
Houston Methodist Academic Institute
With the support and resources of Houston Methodist’s Academic Office of Clinical Trials, we use research and data to better understand potential health care disrupters and stay ahead of potential challenges.
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Physician Profile
Joshua Kain, MD, joined Houston Methodist ENT specialists as a head and neck reconstructive surgeon in August 2021. Kain has a passion for reconstruction after cancer or traumatic injuries, including specialization in microvascular tissue transplantation and grafting. He shows grit and tenacity in the ways he solves problems and works tirelessly for his patients.
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