Objective: The coronavirus 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has had widespread implications on clinical practice at U.S. hospitals. These changes are particularly relevant to otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (OHNS) residents because reports suggest an increased risk of contracting COVID‐19 for otolaryngologists. The objectives of this study were to evaluate OHNS residency program practice changes and characterize resident perceptions during the initial phase of the pandemic.Study Design: A cross‐sectional survey of U.S. OHNS residents at 81 programs was conducted between March 23, 2020, and March 29, 2020.Results: Eighty‐two residents from 51 institutions (63% of invited programs) responded. At the time of survey, 98% of programs had enacted policy changes to minimize COVID‐19 spread. These included filtered respirator use for aerosol‐generating procedures even in COVID‐19‐negative patients (85%), decreased resident staffing of surgeries (70%), and reduced frequency of tracheotomy care (61%). The majority of residents (66%) perceived that residents were at higher risk of contracting COVID‐19 compared to attendings. Residents were most concerned about protective equipment shortage (93%) and transmitting COVID‐19 to patients (90%). The majority of residents (73%) were satisfied with their department's COVID‐19 response. Resident satisfaction correlated with comfort level in discussing concerns with attendings (r = 0.72, P < .00001) and inversely correlated with perceptions of increased risk compared to attendings (r = −0.52, P < .00001).Conclusion: U.S. OHNS residency programs implemented policy changes quickly in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Sources of resident anxieties demonstrate the importance of open communication and an integrated team approach to facilitate optimal patient and provider care during this unprecedented crisis.Level of Evidence: 4. Laryngoscope, 130:2550–2557, 2020

Cochlear implants (CIs) are biomedical devices that restore sound perception for people with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss. Most postlingually deafened CI users are able to achieve ...

Purpose: To describe the development of important information about me (IIAM), an application (app) used to communicate and organize healthcare information for people with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD). Methods: Prior to the development of IIAM version 1.0, households with NDD were selected to participate in a focus group. Respondents (n = 7) were parents of children with NDD. Participants were asked to use a beta version for at least 2 months in day-to-day applications and to complete a questionnaire at the end of the trial. Results: Over half (57%) of the participants found the beta version to be useful. The greatest limitation in usability was the child’s age and literacy level. All participants found the app to be visually appealing and easy to navigate. IIAM was commonly used to communicate information to caregivers, and to facilitate quality interactions between the child and others. Conclusion: Mobile technology has become ubiquitous and has emerged as an important tool in healthcare. New applications could potentially promote accessible, cost-effective and self-managed interventions for the disability community. IIAM is a user-friendly, well-accepted and useful app for people with NDD. The focus group feedback elicited from the beta testing was used to develop the IIAM app version 1.0. However, the sample size in this initial feasibility study is small, and warrants a prospective study that evaluates the overall benefits of this app in improving quality of life and helping individuals with developmental disabilities manage their day-to-day activities.