Canadian Medical Association
 
    

Patients Included™ conference charter clauses and how CMA Health Summit 2025 meets them:

  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”.
    • The Health Summit themes were selected based on CMA Impact 2040 Priority Strategic Initiatives work that has included PWLE representation throughout the year, and since the strategy’s inception.
    • There are two (2) PWLEs involved in the planning and design of the event. They serve on the Advisory Working Group and on the PWLE Experience Sub-committee.
    • Before the work of the PWLE advisor begins, much effort is made to respect their agency by ensuring there are no final program design, topic, and speaker decisions made without PWLEs, and that working groups are made aware of best practices to collaborate with PWLE advisors.
    • The CMA is implementing feedback received from PWLEs from past CMA Health Summit events both in person and virtual.
  2. “Patients or caregivers with lived experience related to the issues addressed at the event participate in its delivery and appear in its physical audience.”
    • More than half of sessions have PWLE speakers, addressing the issue from their lived experience point of view. PWLE speakers are offered the same honorarium rates as all other speakers in their session.
    • 10% of tickets are reserved for PWLE attendees in person. There is no limit on virtual attendance.
  3. “Travel and accommodation expenses for patients or caregivers participating in the advertised programme are paid in full, in advance. Scholarships are provided by the conference organizers to allow patients or caregivers affected by the relevant issues to attend as delegates.”
    • PWLEs invited to participate as speakers receive an honorarium, as well as complimentary registration, travel, accommodation and related expenses. Travel and accommodation are to be paid in full and in advance, unless otherwise specified by the individual.
    • PWLEs advising on the event and its content will receive an honorarium, complimentary registration, travel, accommodation and related expenses. Travel and accommodation are to be paid in full and in advance unless otherwise specified by the individual.
    • The conference is offering 25 ‘’full sponsorships’’ for in-person attendance. These include complimentary registration, travel, accommodation and reasonable expenses. Travel and accommodation are to be paid in full and in advance unless otherwise specified by the individual.
    • The conference is offering 20 ‘’local sponsorships’’ for in-person attendance. These consist of a $100 stipend and complimentary registration.
    • The conference is offering a reimbursement program to offset potential barriers to attendance (ex. child care, adult care, laptop or tablet rental). For full details email yourquestions@cma.ca.)
  4. “The disability requirements of participants are accommodated. All applicable sessions, breakouts, ancillary meetings, and other programme [sic] elements are open to patient delegates.”
    • For the virtual sessions the event platform is AODA compliant (WCAG.2 - AA minimum).
    • See Reimbursement program at 3.f.
    • Any unforeseen and reasonable requirements are met on an as-needed basis.
    • CMA Health Summit 2025 will be held at the Rogers Centre Ottawa, a fully accessible venue in accordance with the Ontario Building Code (2006), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Americans with disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) (2004), CAN/CSA-B651 (2004 and draft 2010), and Accessible Design for the Built Environment. For specific questions, please contact info@rogers-centre.ca or 613-563-1984 | 1-800-450-0077.
    • All disability requirements will be taken care of and included in the deliverables list to be supplied to the venue.
    • PWLE in-person attendees are invited to all in-person sessions and PWLE virtual attendees are invited to all virtual sessions.
    • The hashtag #CMAHealthSummit will be actively promoted prior to and during the conference to encourage online participation.
  5. “Access for virtual participants is facilitated, with free streaming video provided online wherever possible.”
    • There is a fee for attendance, but it can be waved on an as-needed basis.