We are excited to be hosting our Fall 2023 Community Conference in Louisville, KY from October 25 to October 27. We look forward to engaging with healthcare providers, patients, parents/caregivers, researchers and improvers from across ImproveCareNow to all teach and all learn about our ongoing pediatric IBD research and improvement efforts. Download our draft agenda to preview the full conference schedule ⬇⬇

EVENT AGENDA >>

Learner Objectives for our Fall 2023 Community Conference include

• Acquire best practices demonstrated through ImproveCareNow quality improvement, research, clinical practice, and community engagement skills.
• Describe your impact on patient care as well as within the ImproveCareNow community.
• Develop connections and relationships with clinicians, patients, parents, and trusted partners to work together in new ways to benefit the IBD community.
• Examine how you might support the advancement of the strategic priorities focused on outcomes, equity, sustainability, engagement, and technology.

Patients and caregivers are valued partners in our conferences

We are thrilled that patients and parents/caregivers continue to be co-designers and active contributors to our ICN Community Conferences. Here is a listing of sessions they are directly involved in:

💙 Ignite Talks 🔥 with Tomiyo Williams and Kera Medhi

💚 Coping with Flares and Chronic Pain

💙 Ostomy Care and Troubleshooting

💚 Creation and Benefit of a Patient-Led IBD Junior Board (Engagement Plenary)

💙 COMBINE Results: What Does It Mean for Practice? (Research Plenary)

💚 Helping Patients Help Themselves

💙 Attitudes, Trust, and Confidence about Clinical Research: Parent/Caregiver Perspectives

💚 Depression Screening: Impact on Care, Setting Up for Success and Beyond (Psychosocial Plenary)

As you review the agenda, please note the blue ICN Aims listed above session titles. In 2021, ICN Executive Leadership and key members of the ImproveCareNow network identified five key strategic domain goals for the network to work on together over the next three years: Outcomes; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion or “DEI”; Sustainability; Engagement; Technology.

As you consider what topics you're most excited to learn more about and think about the insights you want to discuss with and share with others in the IBD community, we encourage you to follow @improvecarenow and @icnpatients online to take part in the conversation no matter where you are!

Our Fall 2023 Community Conference hashtag - #ICNCC23F - was created via Symplur and the Healthcare Hashtag Project, which is aimed at connecting the dots in healthcare social media. By including #ICNCC23F in posts about the conference we can generate and share learning and ideas, make connections with our colleagues and community, and spread awareness of ImproveCareNow and IBD.

If you cannot join us in Louisville this October, be sure to mark your calendar and join us at another upcoming ICN event:

• December 6, 2023 - Virtual Community Conference * this is a 90-minutes online webinar designed with patients & families in mind
• April 18, 2024 - Spring 2024 Live Online Community Conference * this is a fully virtual community conference event
• September 25-27, 2024 - Fall 2024 Community Conference in Baltimore, MD * this is an in-person event

ImproveCareNow is made up of more than 100 care centers and has a presence on three continents, with 90% of the highest ranked pediatric gastroenterology programs in the U.S., including many U.S. News and World Reports 2023/2024 Honor Roll Children’s Hospitals as members. With 950 pediatric gastroenterologists and 30,000 IBD patients, ImproveCareNow reaches approximately 55% of IBD patients in the U.S. cared for by pediatric gastroenterologists. ImproveCareNow Community Conferences present the ideal opportunity to engage with these committed healthcare providers, patients and parents, and to learn about recent results in our research and improvement efforts.

⏰ Feeling like it's time to take action? No effort is too small, because everything we do in ImproveCareNow is magnified by the efforts of thousands of other improvers! Here are some ways to find & give help:

💚 Young patients (14+) with IBD can join the Patient Advisory Council 

💙 Caregivers of young people with IBD can join the Parent/Family Advisory Council

💚 Eligible individuals can participate in Current Research Opportunities

💙 Anyone can support ImproveCareNow with a tax-deductible general donation or donation to the Richard B. Colletti Family Fund

💚 Anyone can sign up for blog updates and stay #InTheLOOP with our IBD stories

💙 Anyone can download, use & share our free, co-produced IBD resources

💚 Anyone can connect with our welcoming & supportive community and receive IBD resources, community stories, and ICN updates & opportunities by joining our CIRCLE