Announcing Scholarship Applications for #hcsmca’s National Symposium – Feb 24, 2016

By Trish Paton (@trishpaton)

Trish Paton

Communities like #hcsmca have flourished in the virtual realm, allowing connection without quotas or judgements. When your room has no walls and unlimited seating, it’s amazing who comes to the table and what can be accomplished.

Weekly #hcsmca Twitter chats, tackling an incredible range of problems, have welcomed everyone around the virtual table: health care providers, patients, policy and decision makers, caregivers, researchers, students, data geeks, design thinkers and more.

On Feb 24, 2016 in Vancouver, #hcsmca will host its first National Symposium. Our goal, as we plan our first-ever national face-to-face meeting, is to make sure our virtual mix is represented “IRL” (in real life). That’s why we’re offering scholarships for patients, caregivers, and students to help with travel and accommodation costs.

If you use communications technology, are part of online communities, and are engaged with patient, caregiver or student communities in health, you’re invited to apply. Deadline is December 11, 2015.

Submit your application today!

• Patient Application
• Caregiver Application
• Student Application

The Program

The Planning Committee has been asking, listening and talking about discussion themes, programming, speakers, activities, scholarships and sponsors. It’s exciting, thought-provoking and energizing to witness ideas shift to reality. Take a look at the exciting program outline with amazing speakers and the powerhouse breakout sessions to harness our collective knowledge.

We’ve designed a day to explore how digital communications impact quality of care, support patient-provider co-design, contribute to research and knowledge translation, and lead to interdisciplinary decision-making. This is a problem-solving day where a room of 150 people spanning the healthcare spectrum will gather to ask questions, listen to all perspectives, value speakers and experiences as real and meaningful and finally to talk about solutions.

Join us. Register here.

Seeking Sponsors

We’re still adding more sponsors. Your sponsorship will support the attendance and participation of patients, caregivers, and students. Read about sponsorship opportunities here or contact colinhung8@gmail.com for more information.

A big thanks to the sponsors who have already committed to supporting the event:

Premier Sponsors $6000

• Simon Fraser University, Health Sciences Faculty (@SFU_FHS) and Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology (@SFU_GradStudies)

Gold Sponsors $2000

• Vancouver Coastal Health (@VCHhealthcare)

Silver Sponsors $1500

• Canadian Patient Safety Institute (@Patient_Safety)
• Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (@msfhr)
• Stericycle Canada

Bronze Sponsors $1000

• Canada Health Infoway (@Infoway)
• Canadian Medical Association (@CMA_Docs)