General Logistics
What meals will be provided at the National Forum?
On Sunday, December 9, a coffee break will be provided for all Sunday Learning Lab attendees at the Marriott World Center. On Monday, December 10, continental breakfast, coffee breaks, and lunch will be available for Monday Learning Lab, IHI Quick Course, Scientific Symposium, and Forum Excursion attendees. On Tuesday, December 11 and Wednesday, December 12, continental breakfast, coffee breaks, and lunch will be provided for all General Conference attendees.
What is the difference between learning types at the National Forum?
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Learning Labs: Learning Labs are 3.5 hour, single-topic "how to" learning sessions that allow participants to fully engage in discussions and Q&A with world-renowned experts.
- Sunday Learning Labs: December 9, 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
- Monday Learning Labs: December 10, 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM or 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM
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IHI Quick
Courses: IHI Quick Courses are one-day workshops in which IHI faculty teach foundational quality improvement (QI) methodologies and practices, enabling participants to take home new tools, implement QI practices, and gain and sustain improvement success.
- Monday, December 10, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
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Workshops: These are 75-minute learning sessions that take place during the National Forum General Conference on Tuesday, December 11 and Wednesday, December 12. Attendees have the option to choose one A workshop, one B workshop, one C workshop, one D workshop, and one E workshop.
- Storyboard Walkaround Sessions: These sessions take place during the workshop times of the General Conference. Each walkaround will feature four storyboards on a particular subject. A moderator and the storyboard authors will lead you through the session, allowing for a more intimate experience.
- Keynotes: These hour-long presentations on Tuesday and Wednesday of the General Conference feature visionary leaders presenting in a didactic style about lessons learned in health care and beyond. All keynotes take place in the Palms Ballroom. There will be a number of overflow rooms where you can view a live feed of each of the keynotes.
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Spotlight Sessions: The National Forum's top five most popular Workshops are selected as Spotlight Sessions featuring speakers on the Keynote Stage in the Palms Ballroom. In October, the National Forum Planning Team will select the five workshops with the highest enrollment to be featured during the A, B, C, D, E time slots.
- Storyboards: More than 400 posterboards displaying quality improvement stories and successes are displayed in the Forum Hall in the Cypress Ballroom throughout the conference. Individuals will be on-hand to answer questions about their storyboards during the popular Storyboard Reception on Tuesday evening from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM. Storyboards submissions will be accepted starting in June 2018 and close September 28, 11:59 PM ET.
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Forum Excursions: Join us for an all-day adventure to investigate how Orlando-based, global businesses pursue continuous quality improvement. Health care organizations perform many of these same functions as other companies in different industries. You have the option to attend an all-day Excursion to a local site on Monday, December 10.
- Special Interest Breakfasts: These informal breakfast conversations take place on Wednesday morning, December 12, and allow attendees to network with colleagues and discuss a variety of improvement topics over breakfast. Participation is free, and the breakfasts are led by an expert facilitator.
- Scientific Symposium: For professionals who are applying scientific methods to the study of quality improvement, the day features keynote speakers, rapid-fire presentations of peer-reviewed papers, interactive learning sessions, and networking. This is an all-day event that takes place at the Gaylord Palms on Monday, December 10.
- Receptions: A great opportunity to network, reception are free of charge to attend. Our most popular receptions include:
- International Attendee Meeting: Sunday, December 9, from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Welcome Reception: Monday, December 10, from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM in the Forum Hall
- National Forum Celebration, Tuesday, December 11, 6:30 PM – 10:00 PM at the Pool Pavilion (weather permitting)
- Storyboard Reception: Tuesday, December 11, from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM in the Forum Hall
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Vendor Information Sessions: Held in the Vendor Classroom outside the Exhibit Hall, these 30-minute sessions are an opportunity to learn more about a specific product presented by an exhibiting company. These sessions are free to attend.
- National Forum Orientation: If you are new to the National Forum, we suggest that you attend one of these orientation sessions to help you navigate through the program and devise a personal learning plan. Participation in the National Forum Orientation is free. Information on these will be sent to you after you register for the National Forum.
Will there be shuttle transportation available?
IHI will provide complimentary shuttle service to and from the conference each day to the properties listed on the hotel and travel tab above. The shuttle will run approximately every 20 minutes. Properties not listed will not be part of the National Forum shuttle route. IHI will also offer complimentary service from the Marriott World Center to MCO Airport on the last day of the General Conference, Wednesday, December 12 from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Shuttle Operating Hours:
- Sunday, December 9 (6:30 AM – 10:00 PM)
- Monday, December 10 (6:30 AM – 10:00 PM)
- Tuesday, December 11 (6:30 AM – 10:00 PM)
- Wednesday, December 12 (6:00 AM – 4:00 PM)
Is there a special conference hotel rate?
Several properties, including the conference headquarters, the Marriott World Center, have special room rates. To receive IHI's special room rate, please identify yourself as part of the "IHI" group.
See here for full details.
Will wireless connectivity be available?
The Marriott World Center will have high-speed wireless Internet access. We encourage participants to bring their laptops to their sessions to take notes and view presentations. Meeting rooms will be set with work tables whenever possible.
Will business services be available?
The FedEx business center is located in the Crystal Foyer at the Marriott World Center. It is a full-service business center, offering professional printing services as well as shipping, receiving, copying, and faxing.
Business Center Hours:
- Monday – Friday 7:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Saturday – Sunday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Will baggage check be available?
If you are staying at the Marriott World Center, please see the hotel bell staff to store any luggage after check-out. If you are staying at one of our additional hotel properties, you will be notified where to check your luggage on the last day of the General Conference, Wednesday, December 12 by IHI shuttle staff.
Where can I purchase books authored by National Forum presenters?
The National Forum Bookstore features books authored and edited by our world-renowned faculty. The bookstore is located in the Crystal Foyer at the Marriott World Center. There will also be several distinguished book signings next to the bookstore.
National Forum Bookstore Hours:
- Monday, December 10 (3:30 PM – 6:30 PM)
- Tuesday, December 11 (7:30 AM – 6:30 PM)
- Wednesday, December 12 (7:30 AM – 3:30 PM)
Where is the Lost and Found located?
Items found during conference hours will be turned into Conference Information Desks in the Grand and Crystal Foyers. All unclaimed items left at Conference Info will be given to the Loss Prevention Department. To contact the Loss Prevention Department, dial "55555" from any hotel phone. Please do not leave any personal belongings unattended in meeting rooms. IHI is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Can I use my pager, cell phone, or camera?
Yes, but we do ask that you be considerate of other attendees. Please turn your cell phone and pager to the silent mode while you are in sessions and do not use cell phones in the session rooms. Out of respect for our presenters, we ask that no flash photography, video and/or audio recorders, or laser pointers be used during any session.
Will there be a first-aid station?
For routine medical assistance, there is a first aid station staffed with EMTs in the San Francisco room at the Marriott World Center on Tuesday, December 11 and Wednesday, December 12, during conference hours. For assistance during the pre-conference, please see the Conference Information Desk in the Grand and Crystal Foyers. In an emergency, please dial "0" on any hotel phone and request assistance from the operator. IHI Blue Shirt and Marriott World Center staff are also available to assist.
Will there be a location where I can meditate/pray?
Yes. The San Antonio room at the Marriott World Center has been reserved for this purpose.
Will there be a private location available for nursing mothers?
There is a private area within the First Aid station located in the San Francisco room at the Marriott World Center. A mini-fridge and power is also available within this space.
Is smoking permitted in the facilities?
Smoking is not allowed in any conference location. Please use designated smoking areas outside the facilities.
Is there recommended dress attire while attending the National Forum?
Business casual is appropriate attire while attending sessions at the National Forum. Please note that inside the convention center it can be cool in the meeting rooms; please plan to bring a sweater or jacket for your personal comfort level. Casual evening attire is appropriate for all receptions and networking events.
What if I have an emergency or a special need/request?
To notify IHI in advance of a special need or request, please call IHI's Customer Service department at 617-301-4800. If a special need or request arises while at the National Forum, please see an IHI Blue Shirt or Marriott World Center staff member. In case of an emergency, please dial "0" on any hotel phone to request assistance from the operator or dial "55555" to connect directly to the hotel security.
Is parking available at the Marriott World Center?
Ample parking is available at all conference properties. At the Marriott World Center, on-site parking costs $13.85 USD per day, while valet parking costs $23.43 USD per day.
For further questions, please contact IHI Customer Service at 617-301-4800 or via email at
info@ihi.org.
Please note that all of the times and locations listed above are subject to change.
