What is the purpose of the Patients Included™ conference charter?

The Patients Included conference charter provides conference[1] organisers with a means of demonstrating that their events are committed to incorporating the experience of patients as experts in living with their condition while ensuring they are neither excluded nor exploited.

How can a conference achieve Patients Included™ status?

Patients Included™ status is self-assessed. A conference successfully meeting all five of the charter’s clauses may accredit itself as a Patients Included™ event. A how-to guide may be found here (PDF).

Patients Included™ conference charter clauses:

1. Patients or caregivers with experience relevant to the conference’s central theme actively participate in the design and planning of the event, including the selection of themes, topics and speakers.
2. Patients or caregivers with experience of the issues addressed by the event participate[2] in its delivery, and appear in its physical audience.
3. Travel and accommodation expenses for patients or carers participating in the advertised programme are paid in full, in advance. Scholarships[3] are provided by the conference organisers to allow patients or carers affected by the relevant issues to attend as delegates.
4. The disability requirements of participants are accommodated[4]. All applicable sessions, breakouts, ancillary meetings, and other programme elements are open to patient delegates.
5. Access for virtual participants is facilitated,[5] with free streaming video provided online wherever possible.

Footnotes

1. A meeting or event held by a commercial entity, health provider, society, association, organisation, or governmental body.
2. As a speaker, moderator, panelist, workshop leader, or in any other formal capacity.
3. A minimum of two scholarships are disbursed, covering registration, travel, and accommodation expenses for two patient or carer delegates in full, in advance.
   
4. As far as is practicable for the applying organisation. Examples include: provision of wheelchair access; empty front row for wheelchair users; standing desks; sensory guides; loop systems; video captioning; rest area.
5. Either pre-, post-, and/or during the event. Examples include: questions and comments proactively solicited from virtual participants via social media; use of a pre-advertised hashtag; presentations made available for download at no cost.
6. Patients Included™ is a trademark of the REshape & Innovation Center.
7. It is suggested this information be included on the event’s website and programme.

How can a conference promote its Patients Included™ status?

A conference fulfilling all five of the charter’s clauses may display the trademarked Patients Included™ logo[6] on its website, promotional materials, and programme featuring a link to the conference charter’s home page. Conferences should be able to provide evidence in support of their Patients Included™ status to the public[7].

Who are the authors of the Patients Included™ conference charter?

The Patients Included™ conference charter was written by members of the public during March and April 2015.

What can I do to show my support for the Patients Included™ conference charter?

Patients Included™ conference charter supporters may become signatories to the charter by adding their name to the form below.

Feedback concerning the Patients Included™ conference charter

Contributions to ongoing discussion concerning the #PatientsIncluded conference charter on Twitter are invited, as is all feedback concerning compliant and non-compliant events. Instances where conferences organisers are deemed to have either exceeded or breached the charter’s clauses are particularly welcome.

v.1.0 May 2015