The deadline to submit proposals has passed.

Technical Assistance Q&A Session abstracts are due January 29, 2010. Abstracts must be submitted via e-mail to hkim@thehillgroup.com. See requirements below.

To meet the goal of this year’s conference—to stimulate conversation among researchers and experts in the field—the conference will again include Think Tanks in addition to traditional Plenary Sessions, Concurrent Oral Presentation Sessions and Poster Sessions. Sessions will be structured to encourage interaction and networking between participants.

Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals for oral presentations/panels, posters, and think tanks (which applicants will lead). Descriptions of each type of session, and instructions for proposal submission, are described below.

Proposal Submission Process

We invite submissions in three categories: (1) Oral (individual or panel) presentations, (2) Poster presentations, and (3) Think Tanks. Abstracts along with the proposal submission form must be submitted via e-mail to hkim@thehillgroup.com no later than 5 PM Pacific Time on November 6, 2009.

Please read the instructions carefully as incomplete abstracts will not be considered.

Instructions for Proposal Format

1. Download the proposal submission form here.
2. Complete the proposal submission form and e-mail (as a word document).
3. In addition to the questions on the form applicants must include:

Oral Presentation and Poster abstracts must contain the following key points:

• The problem under investigation or hypothesis (Objective or Introduction are acceptable)
• The research methods or protocols used to accomplish the research.
• A summary of findings that are supported by the data presented.
• If abstract is being proposed as part of a panel session, indicate title and chair of overall panel. Panel submissions must include an abstract summarizing the overall purpose of the panel, as well as individual abstracts for each presentation.
• All abstract submissions must acknowledge the primary source of funding, including government, industry, foundation or academic institutional support.

Think Tank abstracts must contain the following:

• Whether the session is focused on identifying:
  • areas where increased conceptual, empirical, and methodological development is needed or has taken place
  • innovative study designs appropriate for dissemination and implementation research
  • development of valid and reliable measures and methods
  • other
• The primary topic to be addressed in the session, and a description of the brief topic overview that will be presented to participants.
• List key questions that will be posed for participants to discuss.
• The way in which key suggestions will be captured and documented for the program committee.

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Research Topics Encouraged for Submission

Applicants are encouraged to refer to the Trans-NIH Program Announcement for the range of scientific topics that will be given priority for presentation at the conference:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-07-086.html.

As defined within the NIH program announcements, dissemination is the targeted distribution of information and intervention materials to a specific public health or clinical practice audience. The intent is to spread knowledge and the associated evidence-based interventions. Research on dissemination addresses how information about health promotion and care interventions is created, packaged, transmitted, and interpreted among a variety of important stakeholder groups. Further research is needed about how that information is received and acted upon - how are decisions made to adopt new evidence-based practices, especially if it involves organizational change in health care settings?

Implementation is the use of socio-behavioral strategies to adopt, integrate and scale-up evidence-based health interventions and change practice patterns within specific settings. Research on implementation addresses the level to which health interventions can fit within real-world public health and clinical service systems. Further, once implemented, implementation research can address whether health interventions are sustained in regular, on-going practice and whether they are responsible for public health changes through methods such as impact evaluations.

All innovative and stimulating topics relevant to dissemination and implementation research will be considered for oral/poster presentations and think tanks. However, the following domains are particularly encouraged, to enhance the conference focus on measurement and methods:

Research studies examining:

• New and innovative methodologies for testing dissemination and implementation strategies (e.g., quasi-experimental techniques, cluster randomized trials as well as “natural experiments”). This could include systems science methodologies such as agent based modeling or systems dynamics simulation.
• New measures for key dissemination and implementation constructs (e.g. context, outcomes monitoring, turnover, leadership, fidelity of implementation)
• Use of methods borrowed from other disciplines and applied to health.
• Strategies for conducting robust trials using fewer resources (e.g., qualitative research approaches, observational studies, natural experiments, adaptive designs, quasi-experimental strategies).
• Innovative methods for training providers to deliver effective interventions
• Studies examining how to link EMRs and other technological advances in data collection methodology with guidelines development ,dissemination processes and implementation of interventions.
• Development of models to enhance sustainability of effective practices.
• Development and testing of theoretical models for dissemination and implementation.
• Longitudinal studies on the factors that contribute to the sustainability of research-based improvements in public health and clinical practice, e.g., using an interrupted time series design.
• Effectiveness of Information Communication Technology (ICT), e.g., Mobile Health (mHealth) interventions, using both existing technologies and incorporating principles that translate to newer ICT platforms.
• Comparisons of different methods of measurement, such as self reports versus external observers, or qualitative versus quantitative.
• Use of technology to support scaling up of interventions.
• Use of quality improvement methods to improve implementation of effective interventions.
• Studies and methodologies of implementation research (including impact evaluations) focused on health service delivery programs such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), etc.
• Studies and methodologies that examine facilitators or barriers to the implementation of evidence-based interventions addressing major global health issues
• Implications of financial reimbursement policies/procedures that affect dissemination and implementation of innovations.
• Review and synthesis studies on key topics.

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Session Descriptions

Think Tanks:
90-minute groups, held concurrently, will meet for informal networking and discussion around a specific topic of shared interest. These sessions are intended to identify challenges for the research field, and potential solutions.

Of particular interest for the conference would be discussion sessions focused on identifying:

• areas where increased conceptual, empirical, and methodological development is needed or has taken place
• innovative study designs appropriate for dissemination and implementation research
• development of valid and reliable measures and methods

The discussion group leader will be expected to start a dialogue with a brief (5-10 minutes) overview of the topic and key questions that he/she would like the group to discuss. Group leaders will be expected to report back to the Program Committee on the outcomes of the discussion.

Oral and Panel Presentations:
Individual presentations should be no longer than 15 minutes, and can employ Power Point slides, if needed. Three oral presentations on a common topic will be grouped together by the planning committee for a 90-minute session. Alternatively, presenters can propose a panel session comprised of three related papers. Approximately half of the session time should be saved for questions and discussion of the presentations. Each panel submission should include an abstract summarizing the overall purpose of the panel, as well as individual abstracts for each of the papers to be presented within.

Poster Presentations:
Posters will be presented on a standard conference poster board. There will be a time allocated for poster discussions, to facilitate interaction with poster presenters. One poster board measuring 4’ tall x 6’ wide will be provided on-site for each poster presentation. All mounting supplies (e.g. masking tape, push pins) will also be provided on-site.

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Submission and Review Process

Abstracts along with the proposal submission form must be submitted via e-mail to hkim@thehillgroup.com no later than 5 PM Pacific Time on November 6, 2009.

All proposal submissions will undergo a blind peer review by the Program Planning Committee. The Planning Committee reserves the right to elevate any submission to a plenary session. Abstracts selected will be included in an abstract book.

E-mail confirmation will be provided after your submission is received.

The Program Committee will notify the first author about acceptance of the abstract by January 11, 2010.

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