Proposals are evaluated by a panel of peer reviewers by the following criteria.

1. Proposal is supported by substantive reasoning and documentation
2. Practical application of content
3. Originality of material
4. Accuracy of data
5. Timeliness of information
6. Validity of conclusions
7. Clarity of proposal
8. Professional experience and speaking skills
9. Avoidance of product/vendor commercial
10. Use of references and resources
11. Overall Rating of the proposal

a.  Substantive reasoning and documentation

b.  Practical application of content

What are the practical applications of your ideas? Have you included reasoning and documentation to support your conclusions, recommendations, and outcomes?

Tips:

• Conference attendees prefer presentations focused on outcomes or results.
• Make the definition and background portions of your presentation brief.
• Highlight problems encountered, options available, choices made, documented pre- and post-change effects and lessons learned.

c.  Originality of material

Does your presentation advance existing ideas or present new ideas?

Tips:

• You might apply proven techniques to new problems. Or identify and apply new approaches, techniques, or philosophies.
• Illustrate problems that occurred, the actions taken and the techniques used to resolve problems.
• Many conference participants may not be on the cutting edge of technology, so you must assess the degree to which an application is a new tool. For example, an application of bar coding might be more or less innovative, depending on the department in which it is installed and how it is used.
• Avoid highlighting a named product or service. Focus instead on the general attributes, benefits, and drawbacks of a given application, process, or tool.

d.  Accuracy of data

Is your data accurate? Is it currently, or can it be, validated by repeated collection of similar studies?

e.  Timeliness of information

There's no substitute for timeliness. Will your presentation be up-to-date and cutting-edge at the time of presentation in six to nine months? Will your topic have implications in the future? How relevant is your topic in the context of pending legislation, regulations and technology? Does your presentation document pre-and post-process or system changes?

f.  Validity of Conclusions

Are the results or conclusions validly drawn from the data and supporting documentation? For example, have cost savings or increases been documented? Are effects to processes or outcomes measured and documented? Have you included adequate detail? Is it convincing?

g.  Clarity of proposal

How well do you express the purpose and outcomes of the session? Do you have a well-defined focus? Is your writing clear, jargon-free, and coherent?

h.  Professional experience and speaking skills

It is important that, as a speaker, you have excellent speaking skills in addition to being an expert in your topic. Can you document that you are an experienced and skilled speaker?

i.  Avoidance of product/vendor commercial

Does your presentation avoid any commercial content? If you are a vendor or consultant, do you include a user perspective?

• No commercials for particular products, services or vendors permitted.

j.  Use of references and resources

Have you included sources of information, benchmark data, or examples from multiple sources?

k.  Overall rating of the proposal

Your audience will be comprised of decision makers from all sectors of healthcare. In the end, you must make your case for the importance of this topic and its relevance to the audience.