The translation of important results of clinical research into consistent benefits for patients is of special interest to Emergency Medicine and will be the subject of the 2007 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference.
The Conference, which may be the first of its kind to be organized under the aegis of a specific accredited medical specialty, will provide an opportunity for participants to not only learn about, but participate in, the development of a Knowledge Translation research agenda and coordinated initiative.
The Conference has received funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the National Institutes of Health and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research.
The disconnect between what is known from high quality clinical research and what gets regularly incorporated into clinical practice is a well recognized problem in all health care fields. Knowledge Translation describes a multidisciplinary endeavor that seeks to facilitate identifying and overcoming the obstacles to traversing this disconnect. The conference has assembled a talented and renowned group of experts to lead eight sessions in two focus areas, culminating in two afternoon breakout sessions where recommendations for future work will be endorsed.
The highlight of the conference will be a plenary address by keynote speaker and AHRQ Director, Dr. Carolyn Clancy on the challenges and opportunities that the EM community faces in closing the gap between research and practice during a lunchtime presentation.
Participants will also have the opportunity to hear perspectives from the Vice President for Knowledge Translation of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Ian Graham. One of the founders of the Knowledge Translation field, Jeremy Grimshaw, will talk about Research Methodology in KT. Jean Slutsky, the Director for the Center for Outcomes and Evidence at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, will address funding opportunities in KT.
Consensus Conference Co-Chairs Eddy Lang, Peter Wyer and Barney Eskin have assembled 13 high-profile theme leaders who will give attendees the chance to brainstorm with teams and contribute to an ongoing consensus-based process.
Principal Chair Eddy Lang, MD, of McGill University and the Jewish General Hospital, recognizes the importance of the conference. As he stated in a recent article:
“There?s a mountain of clinical practice guidelines and recommendations out there. Unfortunately, they?re collecting dust on shelves. Current methods for improving practice are unfortunately problematic. They don?t work.?
Participants in this Consensus Conference will help establish a research agenda for the scientific exploration of Knowledge Translation in emergency medicine. Apart from identifying appropriate areas of investigation, the conference will determine a plan for advocacy: i.e., means to communicate the importance of this area as a research endeavor to related disciplines, policy makers, and funding agencies. The conference will also identify potential funding sources already known to be interested in this area.
This year?s conference is supported in part by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). In addition nineteen agencies and organizations have issued endorsements and statements of support for the initiative. Many of these organizations have provided representation and active voices to the consensus-building process.
The Consensus Conference will be held on May 15th immediately preceding and in conjunction with the 2007 Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Annual Meeting, May 16-19, 2007, Chicago, IL. It will be held in the Michigan A/B room of the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers. The plenary session presentations and proceedings will be published in a dedicated issue of Academic Emergency Medicine to be published in the November 2007.
AEM Consensus ConferenceKnowledge TranslationMay 15, 2007Room Locations
Sponsored by:Academic Emergency Medicine
Co-Sponsored by:Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
8:00 ?9:30 AMWelcome/Opening Remarks
10:00 – 10:45 AMApplication Focus Track
Theoretical Underpinnings of KTIan Graham
10:45 ? 11:30 AMDecision Support TechnologyBrian Holroyd
Research Focus Track
Guideline Implementation ResearchBrian Gilber
Research Methodology in KTJeremy Grimshaw
12:00 – 12:50 PMLunch Keynote Address, (Chicago 6 Reception Hall)
Opportunities and challenges in closing the research to practice gap:the AHRQ vision for advancing the study of evidence uptake in emergency medicineCarolyn Clancy, MD, Director, AHRQ
1:00 ? 1:45 PMImplementing Decision Rules in an Emergency DepartmentIan Stiell
1:45 – 2:30 PMDeveloping Evidence Summaries for Emergency MedicinePeter Wyer
Funding Opportunities in Knowledge TranslationJean Slutsky
A Model Program in Knowledge Translation ResearchTerry Klassen
2:45 ? 4:45 PMBreakout Sessions
4:45 – 5:30 PMReport of Breakout Sessions