2026 Baptist Health Academic Conference: The Art and Science of Interprofessional Collaborations

Miami, FL US
April 30, 2026
 

Thursday, April 30, 2026 | 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. | 4.25 Cat. 1
In-Person Conference | Hilton Miami Dadeland, Miami, Florida
Virtual Conference | Zoom

The Baptist Health Academic Conference will highlight the team-based, multidisciplinary scholarly work—including research and quality-improvement projects—being developed at Baptist Health and in the local community. Academic and health system leaders will join us to share their perspectives on how collaboration serves as a strategic compass for navigating the complexities of modern healthcare. Through strengthened partnerships, we can ensure that every professional is equipped to deliver safe, high-quality care in an ever-evolving healthcare landscape. Speakers will highlight proven strategies for driving large-scale change and building safer, higher-value health systems. In addition, Baptist Health leaders will showcase how internal, system-wide collaboration fuels some of Baptist Health’s most transformative initiatives.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this conference, participants should be better able to:

  • Evaluate the impact of innovation on patient outcomes, procedural efficiency, and healthcare accessibility.
  • Explore strategies to balance technological advancements with patient-centered treatment approaches.
  • Identify and analyze the latest advancements in medicine, including innovative approaches and techniques.
  • Implement strategies to systematically identify, evaluate, and prioritize opportunities for innovation and growth.
  • Develop critical thinking skills to integrate new technologies into evidence-based medical practices.

Conference Goals

  1. FOSTER KNOWLEDGE AND SYNERGIES
    • Advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying health and disease.
    • Catalyze and strengthen team-based, transdisciplinary research to develop a more integrated view of health sciences challenges.
  2. CREATE DYNAMIC NETWORKING
    • Provide an engaging platform and immersive learning experience to professionals that facilitate networking opportunities, nurture collaborations and contribute to developing knowledge.
  3. MAXIMIZE THE REACH
    • Provide residents, fellows, nurses and allied health professionals with a forum to highlight and discuss their scholarly activities with prominent experts and academic partners.

Who Should Attend

Residents, fellows, physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, students, pharmacists, dietitians, administrators, biostatisticians, and other healthcare professionals interested in participating.

Registration and Fees

 Live ConferenceLive, Virtual Conference
Physicians$35Free
Baptist Health EmployeesFreeFree
OthersFreeFree

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations must be received by Thursday, April 16, 2026 to receive a refund of the registration fee, less a $25 administrative fee. Registration fees are not refundable after Thursday, April 16, 2026.

Course Summary
Available credit: 
  • 4.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 4.25 General certificate of attendance
  • 4.00 Florida Board of Dietitians
  • 4.25 Florida Board of Clinical Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors
  • 4.00 Nurse Practitioners
  • 4.00 Florida Board of Nursing
  • 4.25 Florida Board of Pharmacy
  • 4.00 Florida Board of Respiratory Therapy
Course opens: 
02/01/2026
Course expires: 
05/29/2026
Event starts: 
04/30/2026 - 8:30am EDT
Event ends: 
04/30/2026 - 3:00pm EDT

Agenda

7:30 a.m.Breakfast, Networking and Poster Presentations
8:30 a.m.Welcome & Introductions
Zuanel Diaz, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President, Interprofessional Education
Baptist Health South Florida
Miami, Florida
8:35 a.m.Opening Remarks
Jean Putnam, DNP, M.S., R.N., CPHQ, NEA-BC
Chief Nurse Executive
Baptist Health South Florida
Miami, Florida
8:45 a.m.The Collaborative Compass: How Strategic Partnerships Shape the Future of Healthcare
Steve Abel, Pharm.D.
Adjunct Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Butler University Associate Provost for Engagement,
Professor Emeritus of Pharmacy Practice, Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana 
9:45 a.m.Break and Visit Exhibits
10:00 a.m.Driving Large-Scale Change: Building Safer, Higher-Value Health Systems
Kedar Mate, M.D.
President & Chief Executive Officer
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
President of the Lucian Leape Institute
Faculty, Weill Cornell Medical College
Campton, California 
10:40 a.m.Panel: Mega Projects
Host: Jean Putnam DNP, MS, R.N., CPHQ, NEA-BC
Professor, Departments of Medicine and Engineering
Chief Nurse Executive, Baptist Health South Florida
Lightning Briefs

Facilitator: Dr. Jean Putnam
- Nancy Batista, CEO, Baptist Outpatient Services
- Sandra McLean, VP, Nursing
- Adriene McCoy, Sr. VP, Chief People Officer
- Vedner Guerrier, VP of Operations, Clinical Enterprise
11:20 a.m.Visit the Poster Presentations, Lunch and Networking
12:30 p.m.Advancing Health by Orchestrating Collaborations: The Future of Nursing
Susan Hassmiller, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN
Professor of Nursing
Florida State University College of Nursing
Adjunct Faculty, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Founder and Principal of Sulu Coaching and Consulting
Cary, North Carolina 
1:15 p.m.Baptist Health Scholars - Presentations
Host: Nohemi Sadule-Rios, Ph.D.
  • 1:15 p.m. Nursing
  • 1:25 p.m. Pharmacy
  • 1:35 p.m. Medicine
  • 1:45 p.m. Allied Health
2:15 p.m.Author! Author!
Host: Devica Samsundar
Corporate Director, Medical Library and Research Support
2:35 p.m.

Recognitions and Closing Remarks
Samer Fahmy, M.D., FACP
Chief Medical Executive
Vice President, Quality, Patient Safety, Informatics, and Academic Medicine
Baptist Health 
Miami, Florida

2:45 p.m.Adjourn

NOTE: Schedule subject to change.

Hilton Miami Dadeland and Zoom
9100 N Kendall Dr
Miami, FL 33176
United States
Hilton Dadeland, Miami

About the Venue

Next to Baptist Hospital, Hilton Miami is two miles from Dadeland Mall and 10 minutes from Dadeland South Metro Station. Miami International Airport is 13 miles away. Hilton Miami offers a wellness center with yoga and Pilates classes plus massages, a heated pool, and guest rooms with fitness equipment. Hilton Miami Dadeland has met cleanliness standards for a WELL Health-Safety Rating.

Conference Planners

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Zuanel Diaz, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President, Interprofessional Education
Baptist Health South Florida
Miami, Florida
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Samer Fahmy, M.D., FACP
Chief Medical Executive
Vice President, Quality, Patient Safety, Informatics and Academic Medicine
Baptist Health South Florida 
Miami, Florida
 
 
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Jean Putnam DNP, M.S., R.N., CPHQ, NEA-BC
Chief Nurse Executive
Baptist Health South Florida
Miami, Florida
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Nohemi Sadule-Rios, Ph.D.
Manager, Nursing Health Sciences Research
Baptist Health South Florida
Miami, Florida

Guess Speakers

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Steve Abel, Pharm.D.
Adjunct Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Butler University
Associate Provost for Engagement,
Professor Emeritus of Pharmacy Practice, Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana
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Susan Hassmiller, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN
Professor of Nursing
Florida State University College of Nursing
Adjunct Faculty, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Founder and Principal of Sulu Coaching and Consulting
Cary, North Carolina
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Kedar Mate, M.D.
President & Chief Executive Officer
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
President of the Lucian Leape Institute
Faculty, Weill Cornell Medical College
Campton, California 

Baptist Health Panelists

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Nancy Batista-Rodriguez
CEO, Baptist Outpatient Services
Baptist Health South Florida 
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Sandra McLean
Vice President, Nursing
Baptist Health South Florida 
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Adriene McCoy
Sr. Vice President, Chief People Officer
Baptist Health South Florida  
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Vedner Guerrier
Vice President of Operations, Clinical Enterprise
Baptist Health South Florida  

Disclosures And Resolution Of Conflict Of Interest

  • Steven Abel, Pharm.D., faculty of this educational activity, has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies* to disclose, and has indicated that the presentation or discussion will not include off-label or unapproved product usage.
  • Susan Hassmiller, Ph.D., R.N., faculty of this educational activity, has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies* to disclose, and has indicated that the presentation or discussion will not include off-label or unapproved product usage.
  • Kedar Mate, M.D., faculty of this educational activity, has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies* to disclose, and has indicated that the presentation or discussion will not include off-label or unapproved product usage
  • Zuanel Diaz, Ph.D., Nohemi Sadule-Rios, Ph.D., Jean Putnam, R.N., and Samer Fahmy, M.D. have no financial relationships to disclose.
  • Non-faculty contributors and others involved in the planning, development and editing/review of the content have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies* to disclose.

*Ineligible companies - Companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, reselling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

 

Disclosure Policy and Disclaimer

 

Baptist Health South Florida is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. 

Baptist Health South Florida designates this live activity for a maximum of 4.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This activity has been approved for 4.25 credit hours, CE Broker Course #20-1356005, by the Florida Boards of Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine and by the Florida Council of Physician Assistants.

This activity has also been approved for 4.25 credit hours for Pharmacists and techs, Clinical Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors. Baptist Health South Florida CE Broker Provider #50-182.

This activity has also been approved for 4 credit hours for Nurse Practitioners, Nurses, Dietitians and Respiratory Therapists. Baptist Health South Florida CE Broker Provider #50-182.

Available Credit

  • 4.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 4.25 General certificate of attendance
  • 4.00 Florida Board of Dietitians
  • 4.25 Florida Board of Clinical Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors
  • 4.00 Nurse Practitioners
  • 4.00 Florida Board of Nursing
  • 4.25 Florida Board of Pharmacy
  • 4.00 Florida Board of Respiratory Therapy
Please login or register for a Baptist Health CME account to take this course.

This course is being offered live at the Hilton Miami Dadeland and virtually through Zoom.

Hilton Miami Dadeland

9100 N Kendall Dr,
Miami, FL 33176

Live Webinar | Zoom

This symposium will be delivered live via Zoom, allowing participants to attend remotely in real time.