Abstract Submission Instructions
Abstracts are now being accepted for the 4th Annual National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference in San Diego, CA on December 1-3, 2015

About the Conference
This year, we are excited to grow the National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference, and further expand opportunities for learning and sharing about the implementation of healthcare coalitions and coalition activities in our communities. The Conference Planning Committee invites healthcare, public health, emergency medical services, emergency management, healthcare coalition and other professionals nationwide to showcase their best‐ practice training models, plans, tools, and other resources that promote and advance development of healthcare coalitions and describe effective coalition work in preparedness and response.

The Conference is co‐hosted by the National Healthcare Coalition Resource Center, a program founded and operated by three non‐profit healthcare coalitions, MESH Coalition, Northern Virginia Hospital Alliance, and the Northwest Healthcare Response Network.

The Conference will be held in conjunction with the 6th Annual ARC (Advancing & Redefining Communities for Emergency Management) Conference. ARC is held in partnership with the Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center (VEMEC) of the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

Presentation Format
There are two presentation categories:

• Oral presentations: Sessions are 75 minutes (including Q/A) and are designed to be interactive and produce identifiable outcomes. Presentations may be made by single or multiple presenter(s), or in panel formats. You will be asked to indicate which two of the following tracks your proposed presentation would align with best:
  
  • Behavioral Health
  • Coalition Development and Management
  • Disaster Medicine and Clinical Care in Disasters
  • EOC Operations and Response Coordination
  • Fatality Management
  • Healthcare Facility Preparedness
  • Healthcare System Recovery
  • Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response
  • Information Sharing and Technology
  • Long Term Care Preparedness
  • Medical Surge
  • Patient Movement
  • Responder Safety and Health
  • Special Patient Categories (e.g. Pediatrics, Dialysis, Long Term Care)
  • Veterans Issues
  • Volunteer Management
  • Other
• Posters: Displays of innovative practices and award‐winning programs, documents and ideas/questions. Posters will be placed throughout the conference and presenters will be available at select times to answer questions about the materials displayed.

Submission Guidelines
Terms and Conditions

1. Identical Policy
   Presentation material presented at the meeting must be substantively identical to that described in the abstract. In particular, the title, authorship, and scientific content of the presentation at the meeting must match that in the abstract.
2. Author Consent
   Authors may not be listed on an abstract unless they have given their consent to the presenting author. All material must be the work of authors listed.
3. Presentation Agreement Remuneration
   Abstract submission implies an understanding that the authors will receive no remuneration from NHCRC for their participation other than that specified in writing by the NHCRC.
4. Permission for Use of Name and Likeness
   Authors give NHCRC, its agents and representatives the right to use their names and likeness in promotional and other material published in relation to the meeting.
5. Indemnification Agreement
   Authors agree to indemnify and hold harmless the NHCRC, its agents and its representatives should the material presented or provided for publication be determined to defame, libel or slander an individual or organization, violate the confidentiality of any individual or organization, or infringe on another's copyright.

Deadline ─ Abstracts must be received by Monday, June 29th.

Required Content ─ Abstracts must include the following information, as indicated on the form:

• Primary Presenter Contact Information
• Type of Presentation (Oral or Poster, Single or Multiple Presenters, Panel)
• Program Categories (Poster presenters may leave this blank.)
• Presentation Title (75 Characters Maximum)
• Presentation Description (150 Words Maximum – for use in program, web, etc.)
• Abstract (350 Words Maximum)
• Learning Objectives: Define three objectives you intend the audience to achieve by the end of your presentation. (250 Characters Maximum)
• Contact Information for Co‐Presenters
• Short Biography for Each Presenter (200 Words Maximum for Each Presenter)

Next Steps
Abstract Review ─ The Conference Planning Committee will carefully review abstracts. Not all abstracts will be accepted and some oral presentations may be referred to a poster presentation. The Conference Planning Committee, at its discretion, may also combine similar oral presentations into a panel presentation. You will be notified via email about abstract status by late summer 2015. Please, make sure your email address is correct.

Registration and Travel Costs ─ All accepted presenters will need to register. Lead authors of accepted papers will pay a reduced presenter rate. Travel costs are not paid for by the Conference.

All speakers will be required to submit a financial conflict of interest disclosure form.

Please note: all presentations will be posted on the conference website following the event.

For More Information
If you have any questions about the abstract submission process, please contact abstracts@healthcarecoalitions.org.