2026 Science of Patient Engagement Summit
Turning Evidence into Impact

May 11 – 12, 2026
Day 1: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET | Day 2: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET

*Agenda is subject to change due to speakers’ availability.

Day 1

Monday, May 11 – 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Tools, Tips & Tricks of Patient Engagement: An Interactive Workshop

(Open to all attendees)

Patient engagement is no longer a choice, but a must. Empowering patients with the right tools do not only amplify their lived experiences but leverages their key expertise in the co-creation of these evidence-generating tools. This interactive workshop will showcase several of the National Health Council (NHC) evidence-based tools designed to strengthen patient engagement and research collaboration, including the Patient-Centered Core Impact Sets (PC-CIS), Patient Experience Mapping Toolbox (PEMT), and other related educational resources. Participants will be exposed and learn about the development, purpose, and current applications of these tools across diverse settings. The session will include hands-on activities, round robin discussions, and brainstorming exercises to explore practical uses and elicit feedback for future enhancement.

Areas of Focus

• • Lessons learned and best practices in developing patient partnerships.
  • Importance of co-developing/co-creating research agenda, protocols, and tools with patients.
  • Hands on patient mapping activity.
  • Patient engagement at the cornerstone of evidence-generating. 

Workshop will be led by NHC experts in patient engagement, research methodologies, data collection, and patient partnerships.

Monday, May 11 – 11:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

11:30 a.m.                            
Registration Opens

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.       
Networking Lunch

1:00 – 1:15 p.m.                  
Welcome & Introductions

Remarks by:
 • Randall Rutta, MA, Chief Executive Officer, National Health Council
 • Omar A. Escontrías, DrPH, MPH, Senior Vice President, Equity, Research & Programs, National Health Council

1:15 – 2:00 p.m.                  
Keynote 1 (45 min)

 • David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

2:00 – 3:00 p.m.               
Session 1: Voices that Lead: Patient Priorities in Research (60 mins)
This session will explore how patients, caregivers, and patient organizations build partnerships across sectors to improve health outcomes. Attendees will learn best practices through lessons learned from current and past NHC patient-centered research.

Panelist:   
 • Tamika Felder, Chief Visionary, Cervivor, Inc. 

3:00 – 3:15 p.m.                 
Break (15 min)

3:15 – 4:15 p.m.                  
Session 2: Advancing Diagnostic Equity and Quality Together (60 min)       
Accurate and timely diagnoses are a cornerstone of quality health care, but gaps persist across systems in achieving equity. This includes fragmented data to uneven adoption of diagnostic innovations and post event reporting mechanisms. This session will explore how patients, hospitals and clinicians, manufacturers, and policymakers collaborate to build more accessible and patient-centered diagnostic practice. Panelists will discuss systemic barriers that prevent diagnostic accuracy and efficiency, such as communication breakdowns and misaligned incentives as well as emerging solutions that leverage technology, data, and patient-centered design.

4:15 – 5:00 p.m.                 
Keynote 2 (45 min)                                            

5:00 p.m.                           
Closing Remarks (5 min)

Remarks by:
  • Research and Programs Committee Member of the NHC Board of Directors

Day 2

Tuesday, May 12 – 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

8:00 a.m.                          
Registration Opens

8:00 – 8:45 a.m.               
Networking Breakfast

8:45 – 9:15 a.m.               
Welcome & Introductions

Remarks by:
 • Research and Programs Committee Member of the NHC Board of Directors.                                              

9:15 – 10:00 a.m.             
Keynote 3 (45 min)

10:00 – 11:00 a.m.           
Session 3: Modern Momentum in Clinical Trials (60 min)
This panel will explore how researchers, clinicians, and industry partners are modernizing the clinical trial process to make it more inclusive, efficient, and relevant to real-world care. Panelists will discuss practical approaches such as adaptive and hybrid trial designs, improved recruitment strategies, patient-informed endpoints, and responsible integration of digital tools and AI.

Panelist: 
 • Melissa Penn, JD, MPH, Director, Patient Engagement, Research & Development, Bayer 

11:00 – 11:15 a.m.              
Break (15 min)

11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.    
Breakout Session (45 min)

12:00 – 1:00 p.m.             
Lunch Break (60 min)

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.              
Session 4: Perseverance in Practice: Navigating Research and Policy Changes (45 min) 
In the current climate, policy can shift in a short period of time, often impacting funding and the trajectory of research.
This session will explore how organizations, researchers and patient advocates are enduring amid change – navigating regulatory shifts, funding constraints, and expectations for evidence generation. Panelists will discuss their experiences on maintaining scientific integrity and translating research into policy impact. 

2:00 – 2:45 p.m.               
Keynote 4 (45 min)

2:45 – 3:00 p.m.               
Closing Remarks 
 • Omar A. Escontrías, DrPH, MPH, Senior Vice President, Equity, Research & Programs, National Health Council

3:00 – 4:30 p.m.               
Reception & Poster Exhibition