Education

Call for Abstracts


AMRPA is the nation's only organization dedicated solely to the interests of inpatient rehabilitation providers. We invite you to submit abstracts for both oral presentations and poster presentations at our 20th Annual Fall Educational Conference & Expo, October 9-12, 2022 in St. Louis, Missouri! 

The 2022 Educational Conference & Expo will feature four main tracks in addition to plenaries and other special sessions. The tracks are designed to address the information and education needs of medical rehabilitation providers, including current events, key updates and changes in the field, as well as topics identified from the 2021 conference program evaluations. Suggested topics include: 

Operations & Leadership Development

  • Productivity, LOS/Cost Management, Team Building, Employee Management, Leadership, Succession and Strategic Planning, Program Development

Clinical Care Delivery: A Team Approach

  • Safety, Quality, Transition of Care, Clinical Best Practices, (including Innovative Therapies and Nursing Techniques), Medication Management, Wound Care, Infection Control, Pressure Injury Prevention, Fall Prevention, COVID-19 & the Rehabilitation Hospital Impact

Regulatory, Legislative, and Accreditation Matters

  • Documentation of Medical Necessity, RAC Audit, 60% Rule Compliance Issues, Joint Commission, CARF Prep, Regulatory/Legislative Updates, Hot Button Issues

Building Strategic Business Relationships, Technology, Research and Innovation

  • Developing broader business relationships (ACOs, IPAs, CCNs and Healthcare Systems); using data ‎analysis and key performance metrics to drive value; service recovery strategies; focus group ‎utilization for program development; preferred provider strategies with payers.‎

  • Referral development strategies: breaking down barriers to admission, differentiating IRF from other ‎post-acute settings, community education projects that drive volume, census-building techniques, ‎and maintaining relationships in a changing health care market. ‎

  • Communication strategies in a virtual health care world; leveraging social media, e-communications, ‎web traffic and other tools; value of storytelling in health care; and techniques that encourage ‎positive word-of-mouth communications. ‎

  • Telemedicine, Telerehab, Durable Medical Equipment

Call for Posters

AMRPA is also soliciting proposals for poster presentations that describe original work in any area in the field of medical rehabilitation. The interactive poster and networking reception is always one of the most highly attended events on the conference agenda. The guidelines are as follows:

  • A poster is a visually formatted presentation of a topic using charts, graphs, illustrations, and photographs to supplement a narrative.

  • The topic may be clinical or research based, or describe new techniques, procedures, or technologies in the field of medical rehabilitation.

The presenter must be available at the designated time, as specified in the program, to discuss with conference attendees.

One poster will be honored with the AMRPA People's Choice Award for Best Poster. Attendees will be asked to vote on the poster that best showcases an impactful or innovated program or project in the field of medical rehabilitation. The winner will receive special recognition in post-conference communications.

New! AMRPA was accepting new abstract submissions from Friday, July 15 through Monday, August 15 on late-breaking research topics to be considered for poster presentation. As the field of medical rehabilitation is ever-evolving, the purpose of late-breaking abstract submissions is to give researchers and rehabilitation professionals the opportunity to present on the best new scientific research. The topic may be clinical or research based, or describe new techniques, procedures, or technologies in the field. This deadline has now passed and new abstracts are no longer being accepted. 

Submission Process

Oral and poster presentation proposals must be submitted as an abstract of no more than 500 words in the AMRPA Abstract Portal. Abstracts should be written so as to be self-contained and to provide the technical substance required for the AMRPA Education Committee to evaluate the presentation’s contribution to the medical rehabilitation community. Abstracts lacking clear descriptions of project outcomes and key takeaways for learners will not be accepted. In addition to providing three (3) specific learning objectives, all authors will be asked to indicate the key takeaways – the practical tools, solutions and/or resources they will provide to attendees. All oral presentations are 45 minutes long, including time for questions. 

Selection Process

After the initial abstract submission deadline on April 11, AMRPA's Education Committee reviewed all completed abstracts. Abstracts selected for oral and poster presentation at the 2022 Educational Conference & Expo were announced in June. Oral abstracts not selected may be offered the opportunity to present instead as a poster.

Following the August 15 deadline for late-breaking abstract submissions, final abstracts selected for poster presentation will be announced in early September. Please note that letters will be sent to the email address provided by presenters in the AMRPA Abstract Portal (Precis).

Submissions will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

  • Scientific Quality

  • Relevance, Constructiveness, and Contribution to the Field of Medical Rehabilitation

  • Originality

  • Clarity and Organization

  • Freedom from Bias

Questions? Contact AMRPA Headquarters.