Call for Abstracts

 

The 49th World Hospital Congress (WHC), hosted by the International Hospital Federation (IHF) and the Korean Hospital Association (KHA), will take place from 20–22 October 2026, at the Coex Magok Lewest, Seoul, Republic of Korea, with pre-Congress activities and the Welcome Reception on 19 October.

The WHC brings healthcare leaders and executives together for global learning that inspires local action for every patient. Individuals or groups interested in presenting their work are invited to submit abstracts for their projects, programmes, and research that showcase innovations, models, and leadership examples. Eligible submitters include administrative and clinical leaders working in hospitals, healthcare facilities, hospital associations, professional associations, government agencies, accreditation bodies, academic institutions, and NGOs.

Thank you.

Tracks and topics

Review the available tracks and topics to identify the best fit for your abstract.

Guidelines

Please familiarize yourself with the guidelines below before you submit your abstract.

  • Submission guidelines
    1. Submission platform: Abstracts must be submitted online via the dedicated submission portal. Email submissions will not be accepted.
    2. Eligibility: Submissions are restricted to individuals or groups affiliated with hospitals, healthcare facilities, hospital associations, professional associations, government agencies, accreditation bodies, academic institutions, and NGOs. Submissions from commercial or for-profit entities, including consulting companies, will not be accepted.
    3. Number of submissions: An author may submit up to 3 abstracts.
    4. Previously published work: Abstracts of previously published work are eligible for submission. A dedicated field will be available in the submission form to include a link to the publication.
    5. Language: Since our Scientific Committee is composed of professionals from around the globe, abstracts must be in English. Non-English abstracts will not be reviewed.
    6. Data: Abstracts must include data and outcomes. Projects should be implemented or in the early stages of implementation and include preliminary results where available. Submissions based solely on plans or proposed initiatives will not be accepted.
    7. Ethics: The submitted project, programme or research must meet EPiHC’s ethical principles.
    8. Conflict of interest: All potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed. The submitting author must declare any potential conflicts of interest on behalf of all authors at the time of abstract submission.
    9. Topic and track selection: The correct track and topic must be selected for proper review. The Scientific Committee reserves the right to re-categorize abstracts.
    10. Formatting and quality requirements: Trade names are not permitted in the title and may be included only in brackets in the body of the abstract. Abbreviations must be clearly defined at their first mention. Submissions must be carefully proofread and free of spelling or scientific errors. Corrections will not be allowed after the submission deadline.
    11. Submitter responsibility and consent: The presenting author must submit the abstract and is responsible for communicating with co-authors and ensuring consent to share their names and details.
    12. Complete abstracts: Only abstracts in “COMPLETE” status will be reviewed.
    13. Withdrawal of abstracts: To withdraw an abstract, submit a written request to congress@ihf-fih.org by 13 March 2026.

     

     

  • Submission process
    1. Account creation: Presenting authors must create an account on the Oxford Abstracts portal to submit abstracts.
    2. Information required: Please refer here for the information that submitters need to fill out including the word count limits.
    3. Supporting documents: Up to three supporting documents (e.g. tables, graphs, images, etc.) may be uploaded in PDF format (maximum 10 MB per document).
    4. External links: Submitters may include up to three external links (videos, articles or websites) in their submission. A dedicated field will be provided for these.
    5. Saving drafts: Drafts must be saved by clicking the Submit button. Submitters have until 13 March 2026 at 23:59 (Central European Time) to edit and finalize their submissions. If they leave the system without clicking the Submit button, all data will be lost. Abstracts cannot be edited after the submission deadline.
    6. Confirmation: After submission, the submitter will receive a confirmation email from no-reply@oxfordabstracts.com. If not received, they should check their submission status and junk/spam folder. The submitter should ensure that no-reply@oxfordabstracts.com is on their safe sender list and that our emails are not being automatically blocked by your organization’s email system or provider.
    7. Submission deadline: All abstracts must be finalized and submitted by 13 March 2026 at 23:59 (Central European Time).

     

     

  • Review and notification process
    1. Review criteria: Abstracts will be judged on the following:
      • Relevance to World Hospital Congress tracks
      • Issue of importance
      • Innovative value
      • Practical benefit and positive impact
      • Methodology
      • Conclusion and results
    2. Notification of results: The submitting author will be notified of their abstract’s status by 5 June 2026 via the email address used during submission. It is their responsibility to inform their co-authors of the result.
    3. Scientific Committee’s decision: The decision of the Scientific Committee is final.
    4. Confirmation of Participation: Presenters must confirm their participation via email by the deadline specified in the acceptance notification; otherwise, they will not be included in the programme.

     

     

  • Presentation at WHC
    1. Presentations: Presenters may present a maximum of 2 abstracts. If an author has more than 2 accepted abstracts, the additional abstracts must be presented by another listed co-author. Presentations may be delivered in any of the following combinations:
      • One oral presentation and one e-poster
      • One printed poster and one e-poster
      • Two e-posters
    2. Language: English is the official language of the World Hospital Congress. All presentations, whether oral or poster, must be delivered in English. Presenters based in the host country may present in Korean. Translations will be available for selected sessions, as indicated in the programme.
    3. Oral presentations: Oral presentations will be part of a panel and will range between 5-7 minutes. More information, including presentation guidelines, will be provided upon confirmation of participation.
    4. Oral presentations or poster: Abstracts submitted for “Oral presentation or poster” that are not accepted as an oral presentation will be considered for poster presentation.
    5. Poster presentations: Presenters are responsible for designing, printing and putting up their posters. More information, including poster guidelines, will be provided upon confirmation of participation.
    6. Registration fee: Presenters must register and pay the applicable registration fee by 31 August 2026. The registration fee will not be waived. Confirmed presenters are entitled to a discounted rate, and a special discount code will be provided upon confirmation of participation. Lower registration rates are available for participants from lower-middle-income and low-income countries, as well as for students.
    7. Honorarium and travel: No honorarium or financial travel support will be provided. Presenters are also responsible for their travel arrangements but special rates at WHC partner hotels will be made available on the Congress website.
    8. Visa: Presenters are responsible for their visa applications. The World Hospital Congress Secretariat can provide an invitation letter to support visa applications upon request. The IHF recommends all WHC attendees apply for their visa as early as possible, as some application processes may take several weeks. Please note that the IHF is not responsible for and has no influence on the Korean embassy’s decisions regarding visa applications.

     

     

For any questions or if you need assistance, please contact the IHF Events team at congress@ihf-fih.org.

Important dates

6 January 2026

Abstracts accepted

13 March 2026

Abstracts deadline extended

5 June 2026

Abstract results notification