title: [The influence of current social, medical, and political trends on the future of otorhinolaryngology].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  All medical specialties are changing permanently, including otorhinolaryngology. Analyzing trends in social changes, medical progress, and political decisions will allow the effects of these on ENT medicine to be at least partially anticipated.
  Demographic changes and medical progress lead to an increasing demand for medical treatments. In addition, increasing numbers of female physicians are observed, as are many changes in the lifestyles of young physicians. Medical treatment will develop toward more individualized therapies in the future. ENT surgery will become a more ambulatory medical specialty. Driven by political decisions, digital medicine will become more important. Particular services once provided by physicians will be delegated to non-physician professionals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lack of physicians and the progress in medicine require better networking between in- and outpatient services in the future. The potential of such collaborations is currently not completely realized. However, these developments will also increase the cost of health care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These trends will develop otorhinolaryngology into a conservative and surgical ambulatory care driven medical specialty. Embedded in decentralized networks and cooperations, and supported by IT technologies and specialized non-physician professionals, ENT physicians will work in hospitals as well as in practices on a permanent basis. Nevertheless, the question of funding these changes has yet to be clarified.
authors.affiliation: Deutscher Berufsverband der HNO-Ärzte e.V. (BVHNO), Haart 221, 24539, Neumünster, Deutschland. heinrich@hno-aerzte.de.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.affiliation: Deutscher Berufsverband der HNO-Ärzte e.V. (BVHNO), Haart 221, 24539, Neumünster, Deutschland.|Wissenschaftliches Institut für angewandte HNO-Heilkunde (WIAHNO), Bad Bramstedt, Deutschland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Löhler
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000639:trends; D005544:Forecasting; D005858:Germany; D006291:Health Policy / Q000639:trends; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000639:trends*; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000639:trends*; D011057:Politics; D012922:Social Change
keywords: Collaboration; Health information system; Online systems; Otorhinolaryngology; Physicians