Select the link(s) below to be taken directly to the relevant section.
Important Upcoming Conference Dates (See above, right-hand side)
Information on return on investment (ROI)
- Expense Worksheet
- Return on Investment
CPH Recertification Credits
Benefit to Organization
Sample Letter to Your Manager
Invitation Letter
2014 ISDS Conference Agenda *NOTE: Subject to change.
2014 Pre-Conference Agenda *NOTE: Subject to change.
2014 Breakout Session Agenda
Download Complete Toolkit (pdf; Updated 8.1.2014)
This document contains all sections of the toolkit.
Why the ISDS Conference?
|
“While all symposia have the potential for self-rejuvenation, the ISDS conferences have proven to be especially inspiring… The networking opportunities alone are unusually rich, since they bring together members of academia, public health practitioners, and consultants from the universe of disciplines that are attracted to the world of disease surveillance.” — ISDS Member and Public Health Practitioner |
The annual ISDS conference is a truly unique experience that is highly educational and career-enhancing. It is a cross-disciplinary conference that is relevant to many areas, including One Health; surveillance for infectious diseases and chronic diseases; as well as pharmacovigilance. In addition, along with numerous sessions on informatics, biosurveillance policy (at local, state, national, and international levels), analytics/methodologies, and public/population health surveillance practice, you will learn and discover how to implement ideas that improve your professional skills. In fact, on the 2013 ISDS Conference evaluation, about 90% of respondents indicated that they may or will make changes in their work – for example, in their methods or tools – based on what they learned at the ISDS Conference.
As you attend sessions and network with colleagues, you will have the opportunity to interact with professionals from a variety of sectors, including governmental, academic, non-profit, and for-profit. Every year, these interactions result in the launch of exciting new collaborations and the development of innovations. In addition, the 2014 ISDS Pre-Conference Trainings and Conference will provide:
- Information about the most up-to-date practices, tools, and research results.
- Access to the extensive and collective expertise of ISDS members and other stakeholders.
- High quality training opportunities that build workforce competencies relevant to your practical needs.
- Opportunities to contribute to the evidence-base in published conference proceedings.
Participating in the 2014 ISDS Conference offers an invigorating opportunity that creates a foundation for professional achievement and, ultimately, a more rewarding career. So start preparing your travel request now!
Toolkit Introduction
Most ISDS Conference attendees must request permission from their organization to attend, and while the precise information and degree to which individuals must justify their attendance may vary, there are common elements that are often required. The purpose of this toolkit is to provide professionals interested in attending the 2014 ISDS Pre-Conference Trainings and Conference with the tools they need to submit a travel request to their organization. We invite you to use and adapt the following tools based on your needs:
- Information on return on investment (ROI);
- Sample letter to your supervisor;
- Information on Certified in Public Health (CPH) recertification credits;
- Letter of invitation (for you); and
- Preliminary agendas.
Expense Worksheet
Calculate your estimated costs by downloading the Expense Worksheet to provide a reasonable estimate of the investment you are requesting from your organization. *Note: All 2014 ISDS Pre-Conference Trainings and Conference sessions will take place at the Hyatt Regency at Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia, PA.
Download Expense Worksheet (MS Word)
Return to Toolkit Navigation
Return on Investment
One of the challenges in gaining organizational approval to attend in-person meetings and conferences is that some of the greatest benefits (e.g., networking) are difficult to put into quantifiable terms. How do you put a dollar amount on the robust networking opportunities – even if it results in tangible benefits, such as solving a problem you were facing? However, putting the return on investment into concrete returns that your employer can appreciate is essential.
To do this, clearly articulate the connection between your job responsibilities, your organization’s needs and mission, and the meeting programming. Identify the Pre-Conference Training and Conference sessions that will help you gain the knowledge and skills required to tackle ongoing challenges and build organizational capacity to achieve goals related to public health surveillance research and/or practice. Remember that ongoing professional development is important, not only for you, but for your organization.
The Benefits Table should support this process. Identify programming objectives that are particularly relevant to your responsibilities and use them in your request for support.
Download Benefits Table (pdf)
Return to Toolkit Navigation
CPH Recertification Credits
CPH recertification credits are available for attending a 2014 Pre-Conference Training and the Conference. Participants Certified in Public Health (CPH) by the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE) have face-to-face networking opportunities and are eligible to receive up to 9 CPH recertification credits in just three days of programming (3 credits/day). This focused opportunity for recertification credits provides workforce development in concentrated topic-areas, making it more likely that participants will be prepared to incorporate what they learn into their work.
Return to Toolkit Navigation
Benefit to Organization
Provide evidence of how your attendance will benefit your organization. Consider the following:
1. Return on investment: What will you bring back to your organization in return for the investment that was made?
a. Use the information in the Benefits Table and identify which sessions are most valuable and applicable to your setting. For example, you could bring back:
- Strategies and tools to ensure more efficient and effective analysis, communication, and evaluation.
- Ability to enhance overall agency capabilities in public health surveillance.
- Ideas and strategies for addressing funding issues for public health activities.
- Knowledge and skills to enhance the value of syndromic surveillance data for public health response.
- Knowledge of best practices in disease surveillance.
- Update on BioSense 2.0 system, onboarding, governance, and using the system to implement public health situation awareness and syndromic surveillance.
- Information on best practices in Meaningful Use data acquisition and data provider on-boarding.
- Ability to evaluate the utility of novel data sources for public health (e.g., social media).
- Leadership skills that will help your organization achieve its mission.
- Techniques and skills for using mapping for disease surveillance.
- The vision and determination to leverage technology in achieving your organization’s goals.
b. When you return from the conference, offer to deliver a short presentation with a question and answer session to your colleagues to share what you learned.
2. How much continuing education credit can you earn by attending this meeting?
The 2014 ISDS Pre-Conference Trainings and Conference are an excellent way to earn CPH recertification credits! Participants are eligible to earn the maximum number allowable by the National Board of Public Health Examiners – 3 credits per day for a possible total of 9 credits.
3. Who will cover for you while you are away?
Prepare a schedule or plan that demonstrates who can cover for you while you are attending a 2014 ISDS Pre-Conference Trainings and/or the Conference.
4. Do you qualify for a registration discount?
Look at the table of registration fees to see if you qualify for any of the lower rates or discounts. Remember that if you join or renew your annual ISDS Membership NOW, you are eligible for the member discount! If you are unsure about your membership status, please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Discover more about ISDS Membership.
5. If relevant, is the ISDS Conference on your organization’s pre-approved travel list for third party payer? If not, what would you need to do to get it added?
Contact Brooke Evans, ISDS Program Assistant, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you need ISDS to complete any forms for this process.
Return to Toolkit Navigation
Letter to Your Manager
Download the sample letter to your manager to request permission to attend the 2014 ISDS Pre-Conference Trainings and Conference. Insert your information in the sections surrounded by brackets.
Download Sample Letter (MS Word)
Return to Toolkit Navigation
Invitation Letter
Some organizations require a general letter of invitation as a part of their travel request process (below). If you need a more personal letter, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and include the specific elements your organization requires in the body of the e-mail.
Download Invitation Letter (pdf)
Return to Toolkit Navigation