Online Abstract Submission Guidelines

• Submission website will open Tuesday, November 12, 2024
• Abstract Submission Deadline: Wednesday, January 22, 2025
• Online submission only

Submit Abstract Electronically

Our Purpose

The PVA Healthcare Summit and Expo 2025 will focus on the novel concepts, treatments, strategies, and methods to promote excellence and achieve state of the art healthcare for veterans and others living with spinal cord injuries and dysfunctions, Multiple Sclerosis and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Our Mission

The mission of the PVA Healthcare Summit and Expo 2025 is to bring together professionals across the continuum of care who are treating individuals living with spinal cord injury (SCI) and dysfunction, multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to share new clinical information, research data and innovative initiatives to improve care and support clinicians in maintaining their specialty certification and/or license to practice.

Summit Objectives:  Advance interdisciplinary care and innovate healthcare models for SCI, MS, and ALS patients.

• To enhance, advance, and improve interdisciplinary care across the lifespan of individuals living with SCI, MS, and ALS.

• To expand and promote evidence-based medicine and the knowledge about SCI, MS, and ALS conditions.

• To identify cutting edge research priorities in SCI, MS, and ALS and present data on new developments in assessment, treatment, and health policy.

Target Audience

PVA Healthcare Summit and Expo 2025 provides an interdisciplinary opportunity to network with healthcare professionals working across the continuum in spinal cord injury and disease care and treatment. Sessions are geared for healthcare providers including:

• Physicians and Physician Assistants
• Nurses and Nurse Practitioners
• Psychologists, Social Workers, and Rehabilitation Counselors
• Physical, Occupational and Recreational Therapists
• Pharmacists
• Speech Language Pathologists, Dieticians
• Clinical Researchers and Scientists
• Healthcare Administrators
• Others with interest in SCI, MS & ALS

Submission Overview

Abstracts are intended to represent clinical practice, research or health policy content related to spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, ALS, or other spinal cord disorders.

All submitted abstracts must meet CME/CEU accreditation standards to be approved for credit. Abstracts of presentations should be balanced and free of commercial bias. Commercial content, product endorsements, or service related advertisements are not permitted. Presentations by speakers with vested or fiduciary interest in products will not be accepted.

Topic Categories for your Submission

Topics should address clinical treatment, research, health policy or program development in the areas of:

• Spinal Cord Injury and disorders (SCI)
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Cross cutting topics in independent living, recreation, employment, advocacy and assistive technology

Instructions for Submitting Abstracts

1. Abstract title may not exceed 15 words.
2. Abstract content should not exceed 500 words.
3. The abstract must include four (4) measurable learning objectives using action verbs;
   The learner will describe, explain, discuss...
   1. One of the learning objectives must include behavioral/psychosocial objectives of the presentation.
      View Guidance for Writing Behavioral Learning Objectives
4. All contributing authors/presenters must complete:
   
   1. Signed disclosure form.
   2. Up to date biosketch or brief CV, not to exceed three pages.
   3. Identify any commercial interests or sources of funding, if applicable.
   4. Brief (100-word max) speaker bio to be used by the moderator.
5. Only results of completed research should be submitted.
6. Abstracts should include a concise description of the presentation:
   1. Including: demographics, treatment/intervention, results/outcomes, and clinical significance.
   2. In the text, an abbreviated word or term must be spelled out at first use with its abbreviation or acronym in parentheses, i.e., Multiple Sclerosis, (MS). Also see Abstract Submission Requirements below.
7. Abstracts will not be returned for editing or proofing. Authors are responsible for ensuring that the text is accurate, concise, clear, and includes information about all sources of funding, if applicable.
8. Abstracts should be absent of any commercial content.
9. Abstracts not in compliance with the above instruction will not be reviewed.

Summit Abstract Submission Presentation Formats:

Presentations will be on clinical or research issues and will be 30 or 75 minutes in length, with an additional 15 minutes allotted for questions and discussion (total 45 or 90 minutes).

1. 15-minute scientific paper to describe the results of a bench or clinical research project. The 15-minute presentation may have a single speaker.
2. 45-minute presentation may have a single speaker, maximum of two.
3. 90-minute presentation may have one, two or three speakers.
4. A preconference institute may be 2 hours or 4 hours (time period must be included in abstract) and may have up to three speakers.

ADDITIONAL/ALTERNATE PRESENTERS MAY NOT BE ADDED AFTER ACCEPTANCE, EVEN IF REIMBURSEMENT IS NOT REQUESTED.

Information on all contributing authors may be included in the abstract submission; however, only the presenters will be listed in the PVA Healthcare Summit and Expo 2025.

The abstract should include a summary of information to be presented, including major themes, expanded version of learning objectives, outline of issues/subjects to be discussed, an overview of case studies, points to be illustrated, and principles to be discussed during the interactive session. 90-minute sessions and preconference institutes should include some interactive / audience involvement component.

Platform Presentation Abstract Submission Requirements

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

Poster Presentation:  Abstract Submission Requirements

All Presentations: Platform & Poster

Please keep in mind that reference to equipment, devices, or pharmaceutical products must use the correct manufacturer, trade, and/or generic names; appropriate acknowledgements for financial support must be declared. In all cases, patient anonymity must be protected in accordance with the HIPAA Privacy Law. Please do not duplicate your abstract submission for two types of sessions (i.e., poster and platform). Only submit your abstract one time with the preferred session type selected.

Selection Criteria

The following criteria are used in determining abstract acceptance:

Scientific Merit/Innovation:
The topic is pertinent to the development of knowledge related to SCI/D, MS, ALS clinical practice and is relevant to the purpose and mission of the PVA Healthcare Summit.

Practicality:
The abstract enhances the foundation for clinical decision-making or stimulates thinking about practice applications when caring for the SCI/D, MS, or ALS patient.

Organization:
Overall, the abstract is readable, accurately presented and conclusion is valid.  The abstract is complete including all data collection. Spelling and grammar are correct.

Presentation:
The presentation demonstrates an insightful application or a creative and original solution to a clinical practice issue or problem caring for the patient with SCI/D, MS, or ALS.

Session Acceptance

All applicants will be notified of proposal acceptance by March 14, 2025.  If you are unable to accept the session assignment, you must contact PVA by March 25, 2025 at Summit@pva.org.

Should a presenter be unable to make a presentation after acceptance of the assignment, please immediately contact Lindsay Perlman at lindsayp@pva.org or 202-256-5526.

Final PowerPoint slides of your presentation must be submitted, using the online system, on or before July 23, 2025.

Reimbursement

PVA will provide the following reimbursement to help defray expenses for accepted session speaker(s):

1. Summit registration fee waiver
   One registration per poster or 15-minute session, up to two registrations per 45- minute session, one, two or three per 90-minute session or preconference institute.
2. Accommodations
   Up to three (3) night hotel accommodations at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans.
   Note: one person for a poster or 15-minute session, up to two people per 45-minute session, up to three people per 90-minute session. Up to 4 nights for preconference institute.
3. Travel Stipend (amounts are per session, not per person)
   Up to $500 airfare/mileage reimbursement per 45-minute session.
   Up to $750 airfare/mileage reimbursement per 90-minute session or preconference institute.
   Up to $250 airfare/mileage reimbursement for a Poster or 15-minute session.

   Note: Travel reimbursements are by session, not speaker, if there is more than one speaker, the amount must be shared.  It is up to the submitter to determine how these funds will be divided.

4. ONLY SPEAKERS LISTED ON THE ABSTRACT WILL RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT.

Questions/Contact information

If you have program-related questions, please contact us at Summit@pva.org.

For technical assistance, please contact: AffinityCE technical support at am_support+pva@affinityced.com.