ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS OPEN 30 APRIL 2026
ICHOM 2026: The platform for showcasing your impact on patient outcomes.
Demonstrate your progress in value-based health care (VBHC) by presenting your results to the ICHOM Conference 2026
Submit your scientific abstract for presentation at the 2026 ICHOM Conference, December 7-9, 2026 in Montreal. ICHOM Conferences is the premier global event showcasing the latest advancements in implementing value-based healthcare. We invite submissions from all healthcare stakeholders:clinical teams, researchers and academics, evaluators and regulatory authorities, policy makers, life science, medtech and digital industry and patient and public engagement organisations. Abstract submissions are specifically asked to highlight the use and impact of integrating ICHOM patient-centered outcome measure sets (Sets) into your work and/or organization. This international event showcases clinical transformation, technology application, policy, and population health impact on fundamental topics related to value-based healthcare, including:
2026 Categories are as follows;
AI and Tech-Enabled Care Pathways and Healthcare Analytic
This category is for tech-forward, process-focused abstracts detailing the design, development, implementation, and system-level impact of AI, digital tools, hardware/software, and healthcare analytics on delivering improved patient outcomes. Submissions here should focus on the system-level impact of these technologies, demonstrating how they streamline care pathways, or inform systemic and shared decision-making, and drive efficiency and resource optimization. Aligned with the 2026 theme, we encourage abstracts that demonstrate both the creative solutions AI and digital technologies bring to improving patient outcomes, as well as research and applications that identify the important roles for patients, clinicians, and policymakers in using and guiding such technologies.
Please note: Abstracts that mention technologies but focus primarily on reporting clinical outcomes or PROM results, rather than the development and integration of those technologies, should be submitted to the ‘Patient Important Outcomes Improvement’ category.
Patient-Important Outcomes Improvement
This category is for abstracts that demonstrate how clinical measures and PROMs have been used to drive changes in care delivery that have led to improved outcomes. This category also includes abstracts focused on the creation and testing of patient-centered metrics for enhancing patient outcomes.
Delivering Value
This category is for abstracts that demonstrate the practical application of the Value Equation: improving patient-centered outcomes relative to the costs of care. Submissions should provide evidence of how value-based strategies increase health outcomes while maintaining or reducing total costs. ICHOM encourages abstracts that show how payers, providers, and patient organizations incorporate outcome measurements into payment strategies to drive long-term economic viability and better patient lives.
VBHC Methods
This category is for abstracts that describe the methods and frameworks used in implementing VBHC, the challenges encountered, key considerations taken, and the strategies that led to successfully overcoming those obstacles. Emphasis is placed on demonstrating the journey of implementing standardized outcomes measurement in practice and defining the critical components and actions for sustained implementation.
Learning Collaboratives and Benchmarking
This category invites abstracts that explore how collaboration between healthcare providers – locally, nationally, and internationally – along with the use of benchmarking data, has led to the identification of best practices, enhanced performance, and the successful implementation of evidence-based improvements in healthcare delivery.
Patient Engagement and Shared Decision-Making
This category is for abstracts that highlight approaches that empower patients to actively participate in their care, ensuring their values and preferences are integrated into clinical decisions, and enhancing patient knowledge, ultimately improving outcomes and patient satisfaction. This segment celebrates projects that highlight co-creation of implementation projects and evidence of impact on shared decision-making, patient activation, and sustained patient engagement across stakeholder sectors.
Health Policy and Payment Reform
This category is for abstracts that demonstrate innovative policy approaches and/or payment models that promote authentic value-based care, drive improvements in healthcare efficiency, define outcomes-based regulatory frameworks, embed patient involvement, and address the challenges of aligning incentives with patient-centered outcomes. ICHOM seeks abstracts that showcase novel payment models, national and regional strategies, and essential policy initiatives that create incentives or regulatory expectation for VBHC implementation.
Addressing Outcomes Disparities and Risk Stratification Parity
This category is for abstracts that focus on strategies, interventions, and/or research aimed at reducing disparities related to race, socioeconomic status, and other social determinants of health. It includes efforts to address unmet needs and advance VBHC models in under-resourced communities, with the goal of ensuring more equitable and effective healthcare delivery to populations facing barriers to quality care.
Additionally, this category welcomes work on refining risk adjustment in order to achieve parity of risk stratification. This includes methodologies designed to ensure a fair comparison of provider performance and prevent “cherry-picking” across all clinical settings. By focusing on these adjustments, we aim to build more transparent and sustainable VBHC models for all patient populations.
How to Structure Your Abstract:
Your abstract should serve as a clear, high-level pitch for your research. It should demonstrate your commitment to Value-Based Healthcare by clearly framing the relevance and impact of your work, so that judges can immediately recognize its rigor and significance. Abstracts should follow this structure:
- Introduction: The “Why” – Define the specific gap or healthcare challenge addressed by your work. State your objective(s) clearly, ensuring alignment with value-based healthcare. This section should convince judges that your work tackles a significant problem with direct impact on patients and/or the health system.
- Methods: The “How” – Detail your study design and how you plan to conduct your work. Be sure to mention the specific tools and/or processes employed to capture your results, along with any statistical analysis methods utilized. Keep this section concise, but sufficiently technical to demonstrate the rigor and validity of your approach.
- Results: The “Proof” – Present your findings using clear, objective data. Avoid including charts or tables, as these should be reserved for your final poster. Lead with your primary findings and keep the narrative concise. Include statistics where possible to highlight the significance of your results.
- Conclusion: The “So What?” – Translate your data into actionable insights. What do your results mean, and what impact do they have within your field? Acknowledge any limitations encountered during the process and explain how your findings can be scaled to benefit other organizations, ensuring your project’s long-term relevance is fully understood.
Abstract Submission Statistics
Benefits of Abstract Submission to ICHOM 2026:
- Global Recognition and Outreach
Elevate the profile of your organization and your team by presenting your groundbreaking insights and accomplishments, to a global VBHC audience, establishing yourself as a pioneer in healthcare transformation through outcome measurement. - Collaboration and Networking
Connect with fellow researchers, clinicians, industry leaders and key-decision makers in value-based healthcare, with the invaluable opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions about your work. Build your global network for peer collaboration and shared learning. - Digital Abstract Gallery
Authors of successful abstracts will be invited to provide a digital copy of their abstract (PDF) to be included in the ICHOM Virtual Abstract Gallery and also on the ICHOM 2026 event app. - Abstract Poster Gallery
Authors of the top 100 abstracts will be invited to bring their research abstract in poster format which will be displayed during the ICHOM Conference in Montreal. They will also be invited to provide a digital version which will be displayed in the virtual ICHOM Abstract Gallery and also on the ICHOM 2026 event app. - Live Presentation
Authors of the 5 highest-rated abstracts will be invited to provide a short presentation of their research in front of a live audience at the ICHOM Conference in Montreal. - ICHOM Recognition and Awards
In 2022, ICHOM and NEJM Catalyst launched the ICHOM–NEJM Catalyst Implementation Prize to shine a light on the groundbreaking work carried out by the ICHOM community. ICHOM and NEJM Catalyst judges will select the top abstract for recognition with the ICHOM–NEJM Catalyst Implementation Prize 2026 on stage at the ICHOM Conference in Montreal.
In 2024, ICHOM introduced the ICHOM People’s Choice Abstract Prize. Via ICHOM’s event app, attending delegates will have the opportunity to review presented abstracts and vote for the recipient of the ICHOM People’s Choice Abstract Prize 2026.
In 2025, ICHOM introduced the ICHOM Case Study Award to recognise and celebrate providers who are implementing ICHOM Sets and the vital role they play in advancing value-based care and improving patient outcomes. We are delighted to continue these awards in 2026. - ICHOM Newsletter and Case Studies
The top 5 abstracts will receive special recognition in the ICHOM Newsletter following the 2026 Conference and may be adapted into ICHOM case studies. - Discounted Conference Registration
Authors of abstracts will receive a 5% discount off registration for the ICHOM 2026 Conference. Discount code will be included in the confirmation email.
Requirements of Abstract Submission to ICHOM 2025:
- Abstracts and cases are not eligible for consideration if they have been presented at any major conference or published previously (whether in print or electronically).
- NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery reserves the right of first refusal for publishing the full paper of the abstract selected for the ICHOM–NEJM Catalyst Implementation Prize 2026
Key dates for Abstract Submission to ICHOM 2026:
Our submissions window opens on 30 April 2026
The deadline for all submissions is 6 July 2026
Our Judging Period runs from 20 July – 24 August 2026
Shortlist Announcement 14 September 2026
The deadline for all submissions is 6 July 2026 at midnight Easter Standard time.
We will contact you by Monday 14 September 2026 to let you know if your submission has been accepted.
If you have any questions about submitting your abstract, please email abstracts@ichom.org