Annual Quality Congress

Jeffrey Horbar at podium

Convening a Community Dedicated to Transforming Newborn Care

October 2-6, 2019 in Chicago, IL

VON’s Annual Quality Congress convenes more than 1300 healthcare professionals to learn about and discuss new data, new science, and new approaches in the care of infants and families worldwide.

We gather to examine the biggest questions facing our community of practice. We collaborate to accelerate practical improvement in newborn care.

Join us to transform newborn care across the world.

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Plan your participation

Registration Fees

Summary Schedule of Events

In an effort to be environmentally conscious and provide the best experience for participants, we are not printing brochures for the 2019 Annual Quality Congress. Please visit us here for all agendas, faculty lists, and conference details and contact us if your questions are not answered on this website.

Plenary Sessions: Saturday, October 5 - Sunday, October 6, 2019

mother with twins

The Color of Health

We will explore how social inequalities affect the health and well-being of the infants and families we serve and identify practical steps health professionals can take to address these inequalities.
Faculty: Richard Rothstein, Elizabeth Howell, Yolanda Ogbolu, Jeffrey Horbar. See full agenda here.
Less Acuity Infant

Using the NICU Wisely

Which infants are being admitted to your NICU, how long are they staying, why are they there – and what can you do about it? Learn from colleagues and families on how to address these questions in your local context.
Faculty: Mark Hudak, Elliott Main, Erika Edwards. See full agenda here.
VLBW infant

Critical Transitions: A New Lens

Explore a new framework for transitions that has the potential to improve the experience for every infant and family in your care, and learn from parent partners about real-world opportunities to improve care by improving critical transitions.
Faculty: Jeffrey Meyers, Eric Eichenwald, Christopher Landrigan. See full agenda here.
Dr Soll at Podium

Uncertainty in the NICU

So much of what constitutes “effective care” remains uncertain. Using Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) as an example, we will examine: what is BPD? How do we treat it? What are the consequences? Can quality improvement initiatives impact the incidence in our units? How do we move forward in the face of uncertainty?
Faculty: Roger Soll, Erik Jensen, John Zupancic. See full agenda here.
Global Health

Neonatal Care around the World

With a keynote from Dr. Binagwaho from the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda, make virtual visits to newborn units in Zimbabwe, Puerto Rico, and Denmark to learn how NICUs around the world provide care to high risk infants and their families.
Faculty: Agnes Binagwaho, Marcia Mangiza, Lourdes Garcia, Lise Aunsholt, Danielle Ehret. See full agenda here.
Breakout Session

Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Join small groups to dive deeper into special topics such as neonatal abstinence syndrome and experience-based co-design. Sessions occur on both Saturday and Sunday of the Quality Congress.
See sessions in the full agenda
Plenary and Breakout Session Agendas
hall of states posters

Improvement Science Expo

Call for Posters

Each year, more than two-thirds of Annual Quality Congress participants actively share their quality improvement science, translational science, and original research. The Improvement Science Expo provides a venue for peer-to-peer learning to fuel innovation and inspire action.

Improvement posters from parents will be displayed in the main hall during Saturday morning. State quality collaboratives will display improvement posters in the main hall on Sunday morning.

Poster Submission Guidelines and Portal

Pre-Conference Sessions: Wednesday, October 2 - Friday, October 4, 2019

Global Health image from AAP

Helping Babies Breathe Master Trainer Course

Co-sponsored with the American Academy of Pediatrics. HBB has been introduced in over 80 countries worldwide, and the resuscitation techniques taught within The Golden Minute have been associated with a reduction in neonatal mortality and fresh stillbirths. Hosted at the AAP facility in Itasca, IL. Wednesday, October 2 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Thursday, October 3 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Details and Agenda

Jump Starting Quality: Strategies to Launch a Successful QI Project

Come to this hands-on workshop prepared to do real work on a newly planned or ongoing QI project. Pre-work is required. Foundational and Advanced tracks are available. Thursday, October 3 from 12:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Details and Agenda
critically ill infant

Genomic Medicine: 21st Century Care for Acutely Ill Infants

Come collaborate on the shared learning and discovery of how genomic medicine can be applied in the NICU and PICU. Faculty include Stephen Kingsmore, MD, PhD, president and CEO of Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine, Jeffrey Horbar, MD, chief executive and scientific officer of VON, and Alan Guttmacher, MD, former director of NICHD. Friday, October 4 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Details and Agenda

For VON Collaborative Teams

NICQ 2018-19 Homerooms

Thursday, October 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday, October 4 from 10:20 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Teams enrolled in the NICQ 2018-19 collaborative will convene in homerooms. Detailed agendas will be distributed separately.

QI Collaborative Symposium

Friday, October 4 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Teams enrolled in current VON quality improvement collaboratives (NICQ and iNICQ) will explore a new and innovative QI methodology, experience-based co-design, which incorporates families in all areas of the improvement process. After the morning session, teams will convene in their respective NICQ 2018-19 Homerooms or “The Ins and Outs of Neonatal Care” forum for iNICQ teams.

NICQ 2018-19 Homerooms: 10:20 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Teams enrolled in the NICQ 2018-19 collaborative will convene in homerooms. Detailed agendas will be distributed separately.

The Ins and Outs of Neonatal Care (iNICQ) Forum: 10:20 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Teams enrolled in The Ins and Outs of Neonatal Care (iNICQ) collaborative will meet in-person to advance their work on critical transitions of care. 

Cost
NICQ 2018-19 and iNICQ Intensive teams have pre-paid for 4 clinicians, 2 parents, and 2 senior leaders to attend the Annual Quality Congress and QI Collaborative Symposium. Additional participants are welcome to attend the Annual Quality Congress and QI Collaborative Symposium at the rates listed above. Members participating in iNICQ Core can attend the symposium for $200.

Login to your online collaborative homeroom to view detailed agendas.

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Faculty and Participants

faculty panel

Faculty

VON’s Annual Quality Congress faculty includes world leaders in neonatology, improvement science, and parent partners.

Our growing list of faculty for 2019 includes Elizabeth Howell, MD, MPP; Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, CRNP-Neonatal, FAAN; Jeffrey Meyers, MD; Eric Eichenwald, MD; Stephen Patrick, MD, MPH, MS; Wanda Barfield, MD, MPH, FAAP; Erika Edwards, PhD, MPH; Danielle Ehret, MD, MPH;  Jeffrey Horbar, MD; Roger Soll, MD; and more.

See Annual Quality Congress faculty
Mother in Audience

Who Attends

VON’s Annual Quality Congress represents the worldwide community of practice dedicated to improving the quality, safety, and value of care for newborn infants and their families. Attend with your team and be inspired to innovate and accelerate improvement in your unit and beyond.

We encourage discussion and networking to learn about rapidly evolving science, technology, and evidence-based practices. Participants learn from peers and partner with families to transform data into actionable improvement.

Scholarships

fellows reception

AAP/VON Scholar Awards

For fellows and early career neonatologists.
See More
QI Nurse

Kathy Leahy Scholarship for Nurses

For neonatal nurses leading quality improvement.
See More
APN at Poster Session

Case of the Year Scholarship

For Neonatal Advanced Practice Providers submitting a Case of the Year.
See More
HBB Setting

Helping Babies Survive Global Leaders Scholarship

For health care providers from low and middle income countries.
See More

Hotel and Travel

Sheraton Chicago

Sheraton Grand Chicago

Located at the heart of downtown Chicago on the Chicago River, the hotel is within walking distance to the Navy Pier, Magnificent Mile shopping, the Loop, and many other local Chicago favorites.

Limited special room rates of $245 per night will be available. Book your room now to take advantage of this group rate.

Hotel and Travel Details
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Continuing Education

Continuing education credits will be provided.  Check back soon for updated information.

Exhibitors

The VON Annual Quality Congress is free of commercial support. Vermont Oxford Network does not accept industry sponsorship, displays, or product advertising.

Future Meeting Dates

November 5-9, 2020

September 30 – October 4, 2021