2017 NCHN Annual Educational Conference
April 24-27, 2017

Best Western GranTree Inn
1325 N 7th Avenue
Bozeman, Montana, 59715-2511


Deadline for Submissions: Friday, November 4, 2016

The National Cooperative of Health Networks Association (NCHN) invites NCHN members, Business Partners and guests with an interest in health networks to submit proposals for presentations at our 2017 Annual Educational Conference in Bozeman, MT. The conference is an opportunity for network leaders, staff, network board members, stakeholders and policy makers to network, learn and share with their peers.

We are seeking proposals in a variety of presentation formats that will provide attendees with robust discussions, exploration of strategies, sharing of tools and examples that lead to a successful network. The target population is network leaders, network staff, and network board members. Presentation proposals related to the following topics are of interest:

• Behavioral Health Services – Challenges of patients presenting with behavioral health and/or substance abuse needs at local emergency rooms; best practices/models of behavioral health and primary care integration; impact and strategies to address opioid overdoses in rural communities; coordination of behavioral health services in the network’s catchment areas.

• Bundled Payment for Care Improvement Models – Discussion from network leaders that are leading their networks in the development and implementation of CMS’s Bundled Payment opportunities; to include strategies on how a network leader can educate and support their members in exploring and implementing these models. Discussion should also include strategies to identify gaps in resources to meet the requirements of the model.

• Clinical Integrated Networks – What is a CIN; what are the benefits of developing and belonging to a CIN; how is a CIN formed; and strategies for an existing rural health network to interface with and/or lead the development of clinical integrated networks in their service area; and resources and potential funding opportunities.

• Effective Communication Tools – Exploration of communication tools and their contribution to the success of the network, including types and how to use them to address differing audiences and subjects.

• Membership Commitment – Strategies and successful models to engage all members of a network, including those members that may be or have become less active members for various reasons; such as, change in membership representative from the member organization; shift in network focus and direction; conflicting views or competition among the network members; and/or time constraints of members.

• Provider Quality Initiatives – The role networks can play in assisting providers in improving quality and managing all the different payer quality initiatives. To include how to prioritize the various initiatives (“measures that matter”) and how to collaborate among the different providers on “best practices” in regards to quality initiatives, etc.

• Recruitment, Retention, and Engagement - This is the common, but critical variable in anything networks do to support the health care system. Recruitment includes all levels of healthcare providers; along with resources a network can access to assist them in the support of their members providing the healthcare services.

• Shifting Reimbursement Models – The risks and rewards for movement to primary care value-based payment models for networks and their members. Specific examples of successful collaborative, merging models that are truly collaborative efforts and not “hostile take overs” are sought.

• Working with Remote Teams & Network Members – Examples of tools and strategies networks utilize to support the success of remote team work; tools that assist network efforts to deploy remote teams of members and/or staff to work collaboratively on projects and activities; pros & cons of working effectively with remote teams, as well as remotely with network members.

• Working Smarter not Harder – Examples and strategies that network leaders can utilize to work smarter and not harder. As the network leader’s roles and responsibilities are constantly changing, strategies to provide leadership to their network members in today’s climate are needed.

Presentations are sought in the following formats:

>Best Practice Showcase: small group sharing session, approximately 20 minutes; shared session with other best practice updates; and must have a tool and/or take away that network leaders can implement into their own network. Hands on, audience interactive and/or participation. Session may be repeated 2-3 times, depending on final agenda format. This is your opportunity to showcase a successful product, service, or activity of your network.

>Breakout/Concurrent: approximately 40 minutes; 20-25 participants; must include audience interaction; must provide participants take home tools that can be replicated within their network; can include more than one presenter.

>General Session: approximately 45 minutes, an informative, information sharing type presentation; includes take aways for the participants; question and answer period at end of session; and may include more than one presenter in a panel setting. Topic must be an overall general management topic relevant for all types of networks.

>Panel Discussion: approximately 40-50 minutes; 2-4 panelists sharing information on a specific topic with question and answers from the participants. Should be informative, fast paced, and interactive.

>PechaKucha: a simple presentation where the presenter shows 20 images, each for 20 seconds. The images advance automatically and the presenter talks along with the images. The presentation would be approximately 10 minutes, start through questions. Here’s a link to more information about the style: http://www.pechakucha.org/faq

>Small Group Discussion: approximately 40 minutes; 20-30 participants; seeking hot topics – facilitate a “think tank” discussion with participants and report back at NCHN session on potential solutions or strategies that network leaders can immediately implement. Audience interactive and/or participation.

Proposals should be submitted electronically by November 4, 2016 through use of this on-line submission form.

The following components must be included in the presentation proposal:
• Name, Title, Organization, and Contact Information for Presenter(s)
• A recent picture of the presenter(s)
• Brief bio of presenter(s)
• Title of Presentation
• Type of Presentation: Best Practice Showcase, Breakout/Concurrent, General Session,
Panel Discussion, PechaKucha or Small Group Discussion
• Two sentence description of presentation for conference program
• One or two paragraphs describing the presentation, including learning objectives of the presentation – what the attendees will take away (This information will be utilized to promote the conference and your presentation.)

Presenters are responsible for all expenses related to delivering the presentation, if selected to present, including travel, lodging and meals, and the conference registration fee; however, non-NCHN member presenters may register for the conference at the membership rate.

The 2017 Annual Conference Planning Committee reserves the right to make final decisions on the selection of all presentations. Presentation applicants will be notified no later than December 15, 2016, of final selections, so that travel arrangements can be made. The 2017 Conference Planning Committee looks forward to your participation!


The 2017 Conference Planning Committee looks forward to your participation!

Questions? Contact Rebecca Davis at 970-712-0732.