National Association of Community Health Centers
2024 Community Health Institute (CHI) Call for Poster Abstracts

**Important Note: New Abstract Submission System**

NACHC has implemented a new conference management system. Therefore, everyone must create a new user account to submit an abstract unless you submitted an abstract for the 2024 CHI. Please read the following details and then click either the Join Now or Login button below to get started.

Deadline: April 30, 2024 at 6:00pm ET

Why Present a Poster?

The NACHC Community Health Institute (CHI) and Expo is THE largest annual gathering of health center clinicians, executives, operations and management staff, direct patient-facing staff, health center board members, and advocates along with Health Center Controlled Networks and State/Regional Primary Care Associations. The conference (August 24-26) is scheduled to kick off in Atlanta, GA at a time when health centers continue to face funding uncertainty, and as we all adjust to life post-pandemic. Presenting a poster at the CHI provides an opportunity to share your work, network with other health centers and professionals with similar needs and interest, deliberate over new ideas, and facilitate the creation of new partnerships. This is an invaluable opportunity for you to inform health center staff and leaders about your work as they learn best practices, and contemplate improvements to operations and patient care. Your research or program is an unvaluable part of this process. We encourage everyone to participate, regardless of your prior experience with research.

What Is a Poster and How Does it Work?

A poster is a visual way to disseminate and share health center-related research, innovations, and workforce strategies. Ideally, a poster is also an oral presentation that enhances one-on-one networking opportunities for conference attendees. Although a poster can stand alone without a presenter, the presenter enhances the information and provides insights about the visualization. Presenters stress key points, answer questions, and receive feedback. This year, for the first time participants will submit their poster as a PDF, and attendees will be able to view the poster on the NACHC conference app in addition to the posterboards at the conference.

Accepted abstracts will have a poster board space that extends HORIZONTALLY. It will be 4 feet high by 8 inches wide . We encourage posters that are 3 feet tall by 5 feet wide. Please make sure your poster is designed and printed according to these dimensions. Participants should also submit an online, PDF version of the poster to be shown on the conference app. All posters will be presented together during a dedicated time slot during the CHI.

2024 Poster Categories: Research, Program Implementation and Quality Improvement

This year, we will have two poster categories:

Research: Creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge on health center related issues. Includes original quantitative and qualitative research. Analysis of patient surveys, focus groups or patient interviews are encouraged.

Abstract Format:

Introduction: Brief description of the relevance of your research with an orientation to the problem or research question, and the solution being posed.
Methods: Description of the methodology used to address the research question.
Results: Presentation of key findings.
Conclusions: Implications of the findings for CHCs and others.
Tables, figures and creative data visualizations are encouraged.

Program Implementation or Quality Improvement: Ways in which health centers are implementing programs and initiatives, and developing new interventions to address issues from workforce to service provision.

Abstract Format:

Introduction: Brief description of the program, initiative or intervention with an orientation to the problem or gap observed and the solution being posed.
Program Description: Description of the program or quality improvement projects. Include what is being done, who is involved, and where within the health center or organization the process occurs.
Lessons Learned: Description of the lessons learned during the project implementation that are relevant to the public. Ideas to inspire CHCs to implement this or related solutions.
Conclusions: Implications for CHCs and others.
Tables and Figures are encouraged.

Encouraged topics include but are not limited to Climate Issues, Workforce Challenges, Health Information Technology, Reproductive Health, Violence Prevention, Pediatric Mental Health, Patient and Community Engagement, Behavioral Health and Substance Use, LGBTQIA+ Health, COVID resilience, Other Emerging Issues

2024 CHI Best Poster Awards!

NACHC will present awards to the top posters by popular vote in each of the two poster categories! Attendees will be able to vote for their favorite poster using the CHI Conference Mobile App. To be eligible, at least one presenter and the poster must be in attendance during the assigned poster session. Those who submit their posters in PDF format will have their poster available on the conference app for individuals to review, however all posters will be eligible for voting and rewards. Awards will be presented during a general session at the 2024 CHI. The three most exceptional posters – one from each category – will be honored with the 2024 CHI Best Poster Award. 1st place winners will receive complimentary registration for the 2025 CHI in Chicago, IL and a gift card for $250, 2nd place winners will receive a $150 gift card and 3rd place winners will receive a $100 gift card.

Registration and Conference Details

Poster presenters must register for the conference! However, you are eligible for the membership rate (which is half of the non-member registration cost) PLUS a $50 discount off the registration cost. Please fill out the poster-presenter-specific registration form, which will be sent to you in a forthcoming email if you are selected to participate. For more details on the conference, including schedule, registration and hotel information, visit the CHI website.

Poster Abstracts that Focus on Collaborations between the CDC and Health Centers will be Given Special Consideration.

To celebrate the CHI being held in the Atlanta area, we will dedicate a section of our poster section to highlight research and programmatic highlights of collaborations between CDC and Health Centers. This is a great opportunity to indicate the lessons learned in your projects to other health centers.

Poster and Abstract Requirements

**All Poster Abstracts must include complete contact information (name, credentials, if any, title, organization, address, city, state, zip, phone, email) for all poster authors. Failing to follow this procedure will result in people not being listed as authors on the submission.**

For All Posters:

• Author(s) Contact Information.
• Poster Title (up to 20 words).
• 3’ by 5’ size, clear headings and content that is consistent with the poster template.
• Content that benefits or informs health centers.

Tips for Abstracts

• Write your abstract in a Word document first for easy editing and for your records.
• Be sure to provide enough information for the selection committee to understand your approach, results, and significance. Incomplete abstracts will not be considered.
• Demonstrate how your work is relevant to health centers, and why they should know about it.
• Use specific numbers and percentages when describing findings and provide the response rate and sampling frame when highlighting survey findings.
• Use figures and tables to illustrate complex concepts
• Avoid abbreviations.
• Accepted posters will be shared with conference attendees and will be published as is.
• Posters promoting a product or recruiting program participants will not be accepted.

Poster Presentations: Cancellation and No-Show Policy

NACHC views a submission of an abstract as a commitment by the author(s) to present the abstract if their submission is accepted. Late cancellations and failures to give scheduled presentations without prior notification (“no-shows”) are disruptive and inconvenient for conference attendees and organizers. NACHC has adopted the following policies to prevent avoidable cancellations and no-shows and to improve the overall quality of our programs:

• Presenter Requirements

  • The lead author of a poster submission is the designated contact and poster presenter for that submission (if accepted). The lead author of an ACCEPTED poster is required to register for the NACHC conference, at the appropriate rate, in order to present their poster at their scheduled session time.

• Presenter Cancellations

  • If the lead author cannot attend, presentation by a co-author is acceptable. However, the lead author is responsible for notifying NACHC Events staff, via email, of the change and ensuring that their replacement is registered and paid in full for all NACHC conference fees. Notification of presenter cancellations and presenter changes should be submitted to NACHC Events staff by July 1, 2024.

• Abstract Withdrawal

  • The deadline for notification of poster withdrawal is July 1, 2024. Notification to withdraw posters must be emailed to NACHC Events staff. Authors who withdraw posters beyond this deadline forfeit all paid conference registration fees and are NOT permitted to present at any NACHC-sponsored event for the following conference year.
  • Authors who fail to notify NACHC of their intent to withdraw a poster will be considered a no-show. As a no-show, authors forfeit all paid conference registration fees and are NOT permitted to present at any NACHC-sponsored event for the following conference year.

• No-Shows

  • Presenters who fail to make their scheduled poster presentations without prior notification to NACHC Events staff will forfeit all paid conference registration fees and are NOT permitted to present at any NACHC-sponsored event for the following conference year.
  
  Click on the links below to review the submission requirements for each category:
  • Research
  • Program Implementation or Quality Improvement
    
  
  Thank you for your poster submission, we look forward to reviewing your Poster Abstract.