The deadline to submit proposals is 5 PM Pacific Time on November 12, 2010. Proposals must be submitted via e-mail to jkim@thehillgroup.com.

To meet the goal of the conference—to stimulate conversation among researchers and experts in the field—the conference will include Panels of scientific leaders, and 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 abstracts 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.

Abstract Topics Encouraged for Submission
2011 Conference Theme: Policy and Practice

Applicants are encouraged to refer to the Trans-NIH Program Announcement for the range of scientific topics that will be considered for presentation at the conference: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-10-038.html. Priority will be given to abstracts that address the overall conference theme, Policy and Practice, as well as thematic tracks: research on sustainability, innovative dissemination and implementation research models and strategies, methods and measurement, and dissemination and implementation research in global settings.

Dissemination is the purposive distribution of information and intervention materials to a specific public health or clinical practice audience. The intent is to spread information 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 - which dissemination strategies most reliably lead to increases in the demand for effective interventions? How are decisions made to adopt new evidence-based practices, especially if such decisions involve organizational change in health care settings?

Implementation is the use of strategies to try out, integrate and begin to use evidence-based health interventions and change practice patterns within specific settings. Research on implementation addresses the extent to which health interventions fit within real-world public health and clinical service systems. Issues of intervention fidelity, advantageous adaptation, and reasons for discontinuance are frequently addressed in implementation research. 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 evaluation.

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:

• Studies examining the impact of policies on the implementation of effective practices.
• Development of novel strategies to improve the uptake of effective interventions.
• Innovative strategies to disseminate health information to key stakeholder groups.
• Approaches to implementation of evidence-based policies.
• Studies and methodologies that examine facilitators or barriers to the implementation of evidence-based interventions addressing major global health issues.
• 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.
• New tools for estimating and improving how organizational partners and inter-organizational diffusion systems are able to distribute and support evidence-based interventions.
• Use of implementation research methods from other disciplines (such as education, business, advertising and environmental studies) applied to health.
• Innovative methods and curriculum for training or capacity building or other interventions for increased delivery and scale-up effective interventions.
• New and innovative methodologies (qualitative and quantitative) for testing dissemination and implementation strategies (e.g., comparative case analysis, 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, outcomes relevant to practitioners, patients and policy makers).
• Implications of financial reimbursement policies/procedures that affect dissemination and implementation of innovations.
• Use of systematic reviews on key topics to inform implementation science and policy.

back to top

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 jkim@thehillgroup.com no later than 5 PM Pacific Time on November 12, 2010.

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 (individual or panel) and Poster abstracts must contain the following key points:

• Presenter (individual and poster presentations); Chair and Panelists (panel presentations).
• 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.
• 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:

• The name and affiliation of the chair (primary researcher), discussant, and other participants (if applicable).
• Whether the session is focused on:
  • research on sustainability
  • innovative dissemination and implementation research models and strategies
  • methods and measurement
  • dissemination and implementation research in global settings
  • other
• A proposed think tank agenda, which also should include 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 and any other potential product of the think tank (e.g., journal manuscript).
• Plans for follow-up on think tank discussion, if any.

Think tanks are intended to be interactive and therefore will be limited to 25 conference registrants each.

back to top

Session Descriptions

Oral and Panel Presentations: Individual presentations should be no longer than 15 minutes (and 10 minutes for discussion), 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.

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 feet tall x 6 feet 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.

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. Think tanks are intended to be interactive and therefore will be limited to 25 conference registrants.

Of particular interest for the conference would be discussion sessions focused on a thematic track:

• research on sustainability
• innovative dissemination and implementation research models and strategies
• methods and measurement
• dissemination and implementation research in global settings

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 provide a written report back to the Program Committee on the outcomes of the discussion.

back to top

Submission and Review Process

Abstracts along with the proposal submission form must be submitted via e-mail to jkim@thehillgroup.com no later than 5 PM Pacific Time on November 12, 2010.

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 14, 2011.

back to top

back to top