From Gene Therapy to Whole-Body Health: Why ENT Care Belongs in the Headlines
More than 5,000 of the world’s leading otolaryngologists will gather in Los Angeles to share the research reshaping how the specialty treats breathing, hearing, sleep, and voice—at a consequential moment for the physicians who provide that care.
Annual Meeting By The Numbers
Attendees
Education Sessions
OTO EXPO Companies
ENTs manage care that saves lives and improves quality of life. They treat the airways that help breathing, the voices that support communication, and the hearing that connects many people to the world. They care for Hollywood actors, grandparents, children, teachers, singers, musicians, athletes, first responders, and patients navigating some of life’s most serious diagnoses.
Otolaryngology is at the center of vital health conversations, from GLP-1 medications and mental health to dementia prevention, sleep apnea, gene therapy, and cancer innovation.
For interview requests, embargoed research, and on-site press credentials, contact the Academy Communications Team at [email protected] or 703-535-3722.
Six Frontiers Redefining How We Hear, Breathe, Sleep, and Live
The following six themes highlight the research and expert perspectives the Academy is bringing to Los Angeles.
About the AAO-HNS/F
The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and its Foundation represent approximately 13,000 otolaryngology professionals and advance the science, practice, and future of care for the ear, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck.
The Annual Meeting Comes at a Consequential Time for Physician Practices
Proposed Medicare cuts, rising practice costs, and workforce shortages are putting more pressure on medical practices. These challenges can make it harder for physicians to invest in new technology, treatments, and patient services.
Starting in 2027, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services wants to cut payment for some same-day services by 50%. This could hurt medical practices and make it more challenging for Medicare patients to get timely care.
80% of ENT physicians surveyed say the proposed CMS rule could force them to cut Medicare Services—or stop accepting Medicare patients altogether. The Same Day Care Coalition—more than 20 national physician and patient organizations—opposes the proposal. They warn it would penalize medically necessary, same-day care.
These and other issues facing medicine will help shape discussions at the Annual Meeting.
Explore Survey Data and Policy Briefs
Leadership
Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA
Executive Vice President & CEO, AAO-HNS/F
A pediatric otolaryngologist and nationally recognized health care leader, Dr. Shah brings a focus on safer, smarter specialty care to one of the world’s largest organizations for ear, nose, and throat physicians.
Before joining the Academy, Dr. Shah served as senior vice president for the Children’s National HospitalBased Specialties Center, overseeing 17 divisions and institutes. In earlier leadership roles at Children’s National, he worked to improve care for children from infancy through young adulthood, with an emphasis on surgical care, patient safety, and quality improvement.
Dr. Shah’s research focuses on resource utilization and outcomes, patient safety, and medical errors. He has authored more than 130 articles and three textbooks, delivered hundreds of national and international presentations, and taught dozens of courses.
Dr. Shah completed a combined Bachelor of Arts/Doctor of Medicine program at Boston University, an otolaryngology residency at Tufts University, and a pediatric otolaryngology fellowship at Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard University. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from the George Washington University Healthcare program.
Eugene G. Brown III, MD, RPh
President, AAO-HNS/F
Dr. Brown is the CEO of Charleston ENT & Allergy, a 35-physician independent practice in Charleston, S.C., where he has practiced for 25 years. Under his leadership, the practice has grown from a single office to 17 locations across the Lowcountry. His career has focused on advancing evidence-based, patient-centered care while strengthening the physician practice environment.
Dr. Brown’s leadership extends beyond clinical excellence to championing the sustainability of independent practice medicine. A decade ago, he co-founded Otolaryngology and Allergy SpecialistsIntegrated Solutions (OASIS), a grassroots organization supporting independent ENT practitioners that has grown to 500 members across the country. His vision helped create the AAO-HNS Otolaryngology Private Practice Section, giving independent physicians a stronger voice within organized medicine.
Dr. Brown earned a Bachelor of Science in pharmacy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his medical degree from East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine. He completed specialized training in otolaryngology at the Medical University of South Carolina.
