Inaugural International Advance Care Planning Conference - Melbourne 2010





Call for Abstracts CLOSED

The Organising Committee invite you to submit an abstract for the Inaugural International Advance Care Planning Conference in 2010, “ Advance Care Planning: Working Towards Success and Sustainability”.

The Inaugural International Advanced Care Planning Conference has been convened to:

  • Showcase innovative and best practice approaches to advance care planning
  • Highlight system change required to implement advance care planning
  • Identify strategies that work well, are sustainable and are transferable
  • Enable an international audience of health professionals to network, share ideas and issues around advance care planning
  • Examine the role of advance care planning in providing quality care for patients and carers
  • Provide opportunities for health professionals to improve their communications skills for advance care planning

Program Committee:

Dr Karen Detering, Austin Health, Vic
Prof Malcolm Fisher AO, Intensive Care and end-of-life care specialist, Sydney, Australia
Dr Roger Hunt, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, SA
Jackie Kearney, Department of Human Services, Vic
Dr Peter Saul, Hunter New England Health, NSW
Associate Professor William Silvester, Austin Health, Vic (Chair)
Professor Annette Street, Latrobe University, VIC

INSTRUCTIONS – PLEASE READ THESE TO SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT!

Abstract Content
Abstracts should be no more than 250 words, plus 50-word biographies on presenters. Abstracts should be as informative as possible and provide an accurate outline of content rather than a promise of what will be discussed.

The abstract should be as informative as possible and be a true outline of content rather than a promise of what will be discussed. Abstracts will be used for selection purposes and if selected will go into the Conference Handbook and featured on the Conference website. Each abstract is expected to fit within one of the stated conference sub-themes detailed below. Abstracts should include a statement of the aims and must contain sufficient information to allow a delegate to learn what may be gained by attendance. Abstracts should include a concluding sentence to provide a strong summary for the abstract.

Learning objectives
Every abstract must be accompanied by two learning objectives. These should be listed on the same page as the abstract and are additional to the 250 word abstract.

Learning objective (1) should answer the question: “What will people in the audience gain or learn from attending this presentation?” (Don’t say what you are going to teach, but what they are going to learn).

Learning objective (2) should answer the question: “ How does this presentation add to the evidence base to build knowledge in ACP  ?” Failure to include these two learning objectives may result in the abstract not being accepted for presentation.

Types of Presentations

  • Oral Presentations 20 mins including 5 mins for questions

Oral Presentations will provide an opportunity to report on original research, innovative program and professional practices, theoretical and conceptual advances, and professional issues relating to the Conference themes.

  • Poster Presentations (Poster Display)

Posters provide a static visual display of new techniques, programs, research or professional innovations. They are an ideal medium for the presentation of complex visual material. Authors will have the option of having a scheduled presentation which will create the opportunity for face-to-face interaction and discussions with colleagues, or simply providing a poster display.

Workshop Presentations 90 mins including 5 mins for questions

Workshops will offer an opportunity to develop participants’ skills using a variety of presentation methods that are interactive and informal in delivery. Interactive lectures, case studies and demonstrations are suited to this presentation. A limited number of workshops are available.

In addition to the above information, state your workshop objectives, who the workshop is suitable for, your preferred audience size and list the education outcomes for attendees.

Workshop leaders are responsible for the preparation, printing and distribution of any materials and any associated costs.

Please refer to the conference website for further details about these presentation types. There is an opportunity on the submission form to indicate your preferred presentation type.

Sub-themes for Presentations and Posters:     

  1. How do we change the system?

Broad reaching system change initiatives for advance care planning
Policy and the role of senior health managers
Strategies for sustainability
The cost-effective argument
Incorporating system change into everyday practice including impact on support/administration services eg medical records

  1. How do we make advance care planning work?

Models of service delivery/models of care
Advance care planning for specific patient groups/conditions
Advance care planning in hospitals and aged care homes
Advance care planning in the community
Metropolitan versus rural
Patient and carer centred approaches for advance care planning
Cultural and religious diversity
Measurement and data: quality, activity, and outcomes

  1. End-of-life care and withdrawal of treatment: is this done well?

Role of intensive care versus palliative care
Is this everyone's responsibility?
Paediatrics versus adult care

  1. Advance care planning: who does what?

Roles for different health professionals in advance care planning
Interdisciplinary teams
Making difficult clinical decisions
Who decides patients are not for resuscitation?

  1. How do we teach advance care planning?

Education and training
Competency assessment

  1. Advance care planning: is it legal, ethical and safe?

Patient safety, quality and risk management
Legal and ethical issues

  1. How can we promote advance care planning in the community?

The role of government, non-government organisations and primary care
How do we get the message through?
Cost effectiveness versus ethical imperative
What do patients and families think of advance care planning?

Workshops (suggested topic areas…others will be considered)

  • Developing, implementing and evaluating models of advance care planning
  • How to research advance care planning and end-of-life care
  • Communication skills for clinicians eg breaking bad news/discussing NFR
  • Case-based session: how to handle difficult cases
  • Advance care planning in specific patient groups
  • Cultural diversity and advance care planning.


Abstract Submission Process


Please note: all abstracts must be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word format. Faxed or hard copy submissions will not be accepted.

Acceptance or otherwise of abstracts is at the discretion of the Scientific Committee.  The presenting author will be advised in writing of the Committee’s decision by Tuesday 15 December 2009. All abstracts will be considered on the basis of the merit of the individual submission and will be ranked according to the following criteria:

  • Relevance to Conference theme and learning objectives addressed
  • Importance of presentation
  • Relevance of content to audience –

Authors accepted into the program will be provided with presentation guidelines to assist in the preparation of presentations in future correspondence.

Submissions received after the closing date may not be considered.

Abstract Guidelines
All accepted abstracts will be published in the Conference Handbook and will be available to all participants and on the Conference website.

  • Focus on the practical implementation of a project/case study where the outcomes/results have led to changes (i.e. what did you achieve? how did you achieve it? What worked?  What didn’t work?)
  • State what your presentation adds to what is already known (i.e. how/why is your work innovative?)
  • Nominate the conference themes that are compatible with your abstract
  • Please check spelling and grammar before you submit.

Abstract Terms and Conditions

  • All submissions will be lodged electronically through the Conference website www.internationalacp2010.com/call.php
  • There will be no paper submissions. If you cannot submit electronically, please contact the Conference Managers for possible alternatives.
  • There is no fee for submitting an abstract and you can submit as many as you wish.
  • The abstract must be presented by the specified presenting author(s). Proxies will not be permitted except in an emergency such as illness or misadventure.
  • The first author (as given on the abstract submission form) will be the main contact for any correspondence about the presentation.
  • It is the Committee’s preference that the abstract template is used. Please download the relevant submission template from the Conference website.
  • The presenting author will receive notification of acceptance on Tuesday 15 December 2009
  • Presenters must confirm acceptance of their presentation offer in writing via email to the Conference Managers by Wednesday 20 January 2010.
  • Presenters must then register to attend the Conference having confirmed their acceptance.
  • Registration is a condition of accepting the offer to present at the Conference. Presenters must register by Wednesday 10 February 2010 to obtain the Early Bird Registration rate and to ensure their place in the program.
  • Presenters are responsible for their own accommodation expenses and travel to and from the Conference.
  • By submission of an abstract, the author transfers copyright ownership to the Conference Managers for publication in the Conference handbook and on the Conference website.
  • The Scientific Committee reserves the right to accept or refuse any presentation, poster or workshop.
  • Scientific Committee reserves the right to allocate a session time or presentation type.

Mark Your Diaries - Key Dates

Deadline for submission of Abstracts Tuesday 17 November 2009, 9:00AM (AEST)
Notification of Acceptance Tuesday 15 December 2009
Deadline for confirming acceptance of presentation offer  Wednesday 20 January 2010
Deadline for Early Bird Registration Wednesday 10 February 2010
Deadline for presenters to be registered Wednesday 10 February 2010
International ACP Conference 22 – 24 April 2010

Abstract Review
Abstracts will be reviewed by members of the Scientific Committee. 

No correspondence with authors will be entered into, except for acknowledgment and rejection or acceptance notices.