Boone Health EBP and Best Practice Symposium

The Boone Health EBP and Best Practice Symposium is being held in Columbia, MO on October 29, 2025.  The conference call for abstracts opens Tuesday, April 1, 2025, and closes Monday, June 30, 2025.  Accepted abstract submissions will be notified no later than August 15, 2025.

We invite registered nurses, practitioners, specialists, educators, nursing students, and nurse leaders to submit abstracts aligned with strategic initiatives that are important and applicable to healthcare in the following areas: People, Quality, Growth, Finance. Posters may include quality improvement, process improvement, evidence-based practice, best practice, or research projects. Abstract submission should relate to one or more of the conference goals.

Important Dates and Details for Abstract Submissions

• Abstract submissions will be open beginning April 1, 2025.
• The deadline for submission is 11:59 PM CST on June 30, 2025.
• You will be notified by August 15, 2025 regarding acceptance.
• Applicants can be students or practicing professionals in any healthcare field.
• All presenters will be required to register and attend the conference at their own expense.
• Posters will be printed by the presenter at their own expense. Posters must be:
  • No larger than 48” x 60”
  • Preferably printed on foamboard if able
  • Must be submitted to the conference electronically by September 15, 2025.

Submission Guidelines

• Submissions may include quality improvement, process improvement, evidence-based practice, best practice, or research.
• Abstracts should not exceed 350 words, excluding references.
• A minimum of 2 references is required within the last 5 years.
• The abstract document should not include any identifying information including author, healthcare organization, or academic organization information.
• American Psychological Association 7^th Edition should be used for all citations.
• The abstract should include a Purpose or Problem, Method/Process, Recommendation/Implementation, and Conclusion and/or Implications.
• Financial Disclosure Statements must be submitted with each abstract.

Abstract Tracks

All abstract submissions should align with at least one of the following tracks.

Track 1: People

The People track focuses on actions to improve the work environment and experience for the healthcare team member in the complex healthcare setting. It is well known that happy employees lead to happy patients. Top talent is retained through an engaged team and a healthy work environment. In this category, we are looking for exemplary projects that showcase a unit or an organization’s efforts that may include and are not limited to increased recruitment, decreased turnover, improved engagement, increased workforce stability, improved staffing, etc.

Track 2: Quality

The Quality track focuses on actions to improve the experience of the patient encountering any part of the spectrum of healthcare: inpatient, clinic, ancillary, home health, etc.
In this category, we are looking for exemplary projects that showcase a unit or an organization’s efforts that may include and are not limited to decreased patient safety events, decreased hospital acquired conditions, improved patient satisfaction, improved patient retention, etc.

Track 3: Growth

The Growth track focuses on actions to improve the access to care for patients in any part of the spectrum of healthcare. In this category, we are looking for exemplary projects that showcase a unit or organization’s efforts that may include and are not limited to innovative care models, new approaches to or expansion of services for patients, improved access to providers or services, etc.

Track 4: Finance

The Finance track focuses on actions to improve the overall financial performance of a healthcare organization- a topic that touches all healthcare entities. In this category, we are looking for exemplary projects that showcase a unit or organization’s efforts that may include and are not limited to improved efficiencies (time to admission, length of stay), enhanced documentation strategies, leverage of supplies and services, redesign of work environment, etc.

Additional Considerations

• Posters will be set up for viewing during the conference. It is requested that a poster presenter be present with their poster for the majority of poster sessions.
• There will be an option to include your abstract submission for consideration of an oral presentation. These will be 15-minute presentations with 5 additional minutes for questions.
• Boone Hospital Center is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Midwest Multistate Division, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

For technical assistance, please email: conference@boone.health  or call 573.815.3257.