This past year was another challenging year for the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. We weathered many minor and a few major changes and emerged stronger and more focused than ever. Change is the enemy of stagnation and complacency.
Strong organizations thrive on change.
Our fundamental values of patient care, education and research remain unshaken and this year we have re-committed ourselves to excellence in all these areas. However, during the past year we were challenged by cost cutting and economic pressures that made it difficult to remain focused and enthusiastic. We expect to use our institutional resources to improve patient satisfaction, timeliness of care and efficiency. It will be important for each of us to imagine ourselves as a patient at the University of Michigan and put patients needs first. Some of the highlights of 1997 included the naming of Gil Omenn, MD as Vice President for Medical Affairs and the recruitment of Drs.