2020 PSQ Poster Competition

Virtual Poster Competition

The Patient Safety & Quality Poster Competition is organized to encourage hospitals and health care providers to present their original work. All winning abstracts will be presented virtually during Healthcare Quality Week, October 18-24, 2020. The purpose of the competition is to stimulate systematic investigation by medical professionals, provide a venue to share innovative and effective educational programs, showcase unique community projects, and encourage networking among medical peers with similar interests.

Poster Details

  • A poster is a visual guide that summarizes information or systematic investigation concisely and attractively to help publicize it and generate discussion. The poster is typically a mixture of a brief text with tables, graphs, pictures, and other presentation formats.
  • The poster must be submitted as a PDF.
  • Typical word count of about 300 to 800 words.
  • The poster should guide the reviewer through the abstract.

Topics (COVID or Non-COVID Related)

  • Clinical Effectiveness (ex. evidence-based care, best practices, disease/diagnosis specific outcomes)
  • Safety or Patient Safety (ex. preventing harm to patient, safe culture, use of technology, medication, infection control and environmental)
  • Population Health (ex. the health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within the group which can be geographic or limited to clinical populations)
  • Service Excellence (ex. patient satisfaction/experience, complaint/grievance resolution, community outreach/advocacy)

Abstract Instructions

  • The abstract is a stand-alone summary that clearly and succinctly conveys the essential information of a project or study. For this abstract the focus is to be on a quality or safety topic that uses a performance improvement methodology. Example abstract.
  • The abstract is not to exceed two pages.
  • Use single spacing throughout and indent the paragraphs.
  • Use a 10-point Arial font with one-inch margins.
  • Do not give references in the abstract.
  • Clarity of expression will be considered.
  • If using abbreviations, place them in parentheses after the full word the first time it appears.
  • Use the following naming convention when submitting your abstract: Facility Abbreviation_2020_title or topic of project_date; Example: DCHA_2020_Safety Standards_7-25-20.
  • Abstracts should not include endorsements, sponsors, brand names or bias toward a product or service.

Judging Criteria

  • Relevance to the topic (clinical effectiveness, safety or patient safety, population health, service excellence).
  • Innovation and replicability (use of innovative techniques, ability to be adopted by others).
  • Performance improvement (identification and improvement of processes or outcomes and use of performance improvement methodologies [e.g. PDCA, lean, six sigma]).
  • Demonstrated impact (positive outcomes, lesson learned, success).
  • Graphic display of data.
  • Teams will not be evaluated by reviewers from their own hospital.
  • All scores are final and confidential. DCHA does not provide individual feedback from reviewers or release the identity of the review group.

Submission Checklist & Other Information

  • All submissions must include: PDF of poster, completed abstract form, completed conflict of interest form for all team members and leaders of group, and bios for all team members and leaders of group.
  • Encore presentations from the past six months are welcome but should note it is an encore presentation on the abstract.
  • A maximum of three submissions per hospital will be accepted.
  • Teams must also submit required materials for their presentations to be considered for continuing education credits, including a conflict of interest form.
  • Submissions who are chosen to virtually present will be required to submit their PPT presentation by August 24.

Prize Levels

  • Bronze – Inclusion in future Quality Showcase publication(s) and a 10-minute virtual presentation.
  • Silver – Inclusion in future Quality Showcase publication(s) and a 20-minute virtual presentation.
  • Gold – Inclusion in future Quality Showcase publication(s), a 20-minute virtual presentation, receive a $5,000 cash award for the hospital of the winning team, and recognition in relevant publications and communication channels.
  • Note – Bronze and Silver winners will be announced on August 17. Gold winners will be announced during Healthcare Quality Week, October 18-24, 2020.

Visuals & Text

  • Present numerical data in the form of graphs, rather than tables (graphs make trends in the data much more evident). If data must be presented in table form, keep it simple.
  • Visuals should be simple and bold.
  • Avoid acronyms and extensive mathematical notations as much as possible.
  • Posters with 800 words or less are perfect. Avoid submitting compactly packed, high word-count posters.
  • Use bright colors to enhance the detail.
  • Besides your project, the text could also include future research plans or questions.

Dates to Remember

  • July 24, 2020: Submission deadline
  • August 17, 2020: Bronze and Silver winners announced
  • October 18-24, 2020: DCHA's Virtual Patient Safety and Quality Summit; Gold winners announced
Submit Materials


More Information

  • For more information, contact Julie Gonzalez, DCHA Staff Assistant at 347-504-3025 or email Julie.