News Release

Katrina doctor, Anna Pou, M.D., to lead discussion on disaster medicine preparedness, ethics

New research released at world's largest ENT meeting

Business Announcement

American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

Chicago, IL – Anna Pou, MD, known nationally for her heroic efforts in patient care during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, will lead a discussion on emergency preparedness and disaster medicine, plus the need for establishing ethical guidelines and legislative protections for healthcare professionals. She will speak at the 2008 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, in Chicago, IL.

Dr. Pou, a head and neck surgeon and associate professor of otorhinolaryngology at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, was arrested for the deaths of four elderly patients at Memorial Medical Center while she was one of the few physicians who stayed to care for patients despite the evacuations. A year later, a grand jury declined to indict Dr. Pou on charges of second-degree murder. Dr. Pou has since used her story to help pass landmark legislation in Louisiana protecting physicians and healthcare professionals from criminal liability for care given during disaster events in the state.

Dr. Pou will be joined by AAO-HNSF Ethics Committee Chair G. Richard Holt, MD, who earlier this year authored an invited article in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery calling on the U.S. medical community to develop a national consensus on ethical guidelines for physicians and healthcare professionals who care for casualties of disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, or terrorist attacks.

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Title: Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management: What You Need to Know
Presenters: Anna M. Pou, MD (moderator); G. Richard Holt, MD MSE MPH; Joseph Brennan, MD; Rick T. Simmons, Jr., LLM, JD
Date: Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 9:30-10:20 am (all times CDT)

Information for the Media:

The AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO newsroom will be located in Room 265, Lakeside Level 2, McCormick Place Convention Center. Hours of operation: Saturday, September 20, 12 pm to 5 pm; Sunday - Tuesday, September 21 - 23, 7:30 am to 5 pm; and Wednesday, September 24, 7:30 am to 2 pm. The newsroom serves as a work space for credentialed members of the media and credentialed public relations staff. The newsroom is managed and staffed by the AAO-HNS Communications Unit. Please see the AAO-HNS website for media credentialing requirements for the event.

About the AAO-HNS

The American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (http://www.entnet.org), one of the oldest medical associations in the nation, represents more than 12,000 physicians and allied health professionals who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. The Academy serves its members by facilitating the advancement of the science and art of medicine related to otolaryngology and by representing the specialty in governmental and socioeconomic issues. The organization's vision: "Empowering otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons to deliver the best patient care."

Onsite Newsroom: 312-949-3470


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