DEX26: Diagnostic Excellence 2026 Meeting
Monday, October 5 - Wednesday, October 7
Simmons University
300 Fenway
Boston, MA 02215
To receive updates, subscribe to our DEX mailing list here or stay tuned to the UCSF CODEX LinkedIn page.
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Jump to:
Registration - ends September 1
Call for Graber Award Nominations - due September 1
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About DEX26
To receive updates, subscribe to our DEX mailing list here or stay tuned to the UCSF CODEX LinkedIn page.
The Diagnostic Excellence 2026 Meeting (DEX26) will bring together experts, learners, early-career professionals, researchers, educators, and patients to advance diagnostic excellence in healthcare. Through scientific presentations, collaborative workshops, interactive discussions, and networking opportunities, we'll explore the latest advances, share knowledge, and drive meaningful progress.
This year's co-hosts are UCSF CODEX, Boston Children's Hospital, and CIDM (Community Improving Diagnosis in Medicine).
This meeting is dedicated to improving diagnosis in healthcare. DEX26 will:
- Commence with presentations reviewing the trajectory of efforts to promote diagnostic excellence and a state-of-the-science review and discussion.
- Present and discuss research advances and ongoing studies through both open discussions and presentations of oral abstracts and posters.
- Include sessions focused on measurement and assessment of progress in improving diagnosis.
- Include designated sessions to present advances in clinical reasoning, how to teach these skills, and how to optimize clinical reasoning in practice, designed with medical educators in mind.
- Highlight considerations of how AI, "the new kid on the block" can be used to promote diagnostic excellence in research, education, and practice.
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Registration
We're excited to announce that DEX26 registration is now open! Click below to register for DEX26, and register by July 1 to receive the early-bird discount.
Registration closes on Monday, September 1, 2026.
| Early Bird Pricing (ends July 1) | Regular Pricing (ends September 1) | |
| Physician | $350 | $400 |
| Non-Physician | $300 | $350 |
| Trainee | $100 | $150 |
| Patient, Caregiver, or Advocate | $0 | $0 |
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Venue and Lodging
Venue
Simmons University
300 Fenway
Boston, MA 02215
Lodging
Book a room at the Hotel Commonwealth online or by phone at 617-933-5000 (reference the UCSF room block). Please note that the hotel is a safe and scenic 20-minute walk or a 7-minute drive from the meeting venue. The deadline to reserve a room in this hotel block is September 10.
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Keynote Speakers
We are thrilled to welcome such influential and impactful voices to DEX26.
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Robert Wachter, MD—best-selling author, professor and chair of the UCSF Department of Medicine, and widely regarded as the "father of hospital medicine"—will join us for an intimate fireside chat on Monday, October 5. The format of this session means you'll get Dr. Wachter's candid perspective up close, followed by ample time for live questions! Dr. Wachter coined the term "hospitalist" and has spent decades shaping how we think about healthcare quality, patient safety, and the future of medicine. His newest book, A Giant Leap, is already a bestseller, cementing him as a pivotal voice as AI transforms delivery of care and health outcomes for generations to come. |
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Alexandra Sifferlin, a health and science journalist, will join us for a discussion on how diagnostic error is covered in the media, offering a candid, non-academic perspective on the stories that shape how patients, families, and the broader public think about diagnostic excellence. Be sure to bring your question for the Q&A portion of the session. She is the author of the recently published book, The Elusive Body: Patients, Doctors, and the Diagnosis Crisis. She is the deputy editor of the Science desk at The New York Times. Previously, she was the health and science editor for The New York Times opinion desk, the deputy editor of Elemental, and a staff writer at Time Magazine. |
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Agenda
The agenda below is tentative, and exact times are subject to change.
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Monday, October 5 |
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9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. |
Pre-Meeting Community Building Sessions Patient Summit Careers in Diagnostic Excellence |
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12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
Meeting Kick-Off Plenary and Workshop Sessions |
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6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. |
Community Improving Diagnosis in Medicine Reception Mark Graber Award Ceremony |
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Tuesday, October 6 |
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9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
Plenary and Workshop Sessions |
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5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. |
Gallery-Style Poster Session and Happy Hour |
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7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. |
Community Improving Diagnosis in Medicine Community Dinners |
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Wednesday, October 7 |
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9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. |
Plenary and Workshop Sessions |
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3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
Research Summit |
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Social Media Toolkit
Planning to attend or present at DEX26 in Boston from October 5-7? Use our new ready-to-share templates to spread the word and help grow our community of clinicians, educators, researchers, patients, and others dedicated to advancing diagnostic excellence.
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Call for Abstract Submissions - due July 24
Share your research findings, applied innovations, and patient and family contributions that highlight the challenges of and paths forward for achieving diagnostic excellence. Click below for details about the abstract categories and requirements.
Abstract submissions are due on Friday, July 24, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
Submission Requirements
- Abstracts must be 300 words or less and should adhere to the IMRaD format (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion)
- At least one author must attend the conference to present their work
- Names, degrees, institutions/affiliations, and abstract titles will be printed as listed in this submission form.
- Authors may submit more than one abstract
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Call for Shark Tank Ideas - due July 24
This year at DEX26, pitch your idea and receive targeted feedback from peers and senior diagnostic excellence leaders on your research, operational innovations, and how you're improving diagnosis in practice. Learn more details about submission requirements and topic areas for this new plenary session by clicking below.
Shark Tank ideas are due on Friday, July 24, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
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CIDM Mark L Graber Diagnostic Quality Award Nominations - due September 1
The Community Improving Diagnosis in Medicine (CIDM) annually recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to advancing the safety and quality of diagnosis. The award recognizes either a total body of work (“lifetime achievement”) or a significant contribution in the field. The nominee can have had an influence in the fields of education, research, practice improvement, patient engagement, and/or policy. The “CIDM Mark L Graber Diagnostic Quality Award” will be presented at the DEX-2026 meeting in Boston, MA, this coming October.
Details on past award winners are attached, including the 2025 awardees Drs. Taro Shimizu and David Newman-Toker.
We invite you to nominate worthy individuals by completing the attached form and return by email to Ruth Ryan, RN ([email protected]). Find details about past award winners here.
Nominations are due on September 1 to Ruth Ryan at [email protected].
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Credits and Accreditation
Credits
AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (16.50 hours), American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) Category 1 CME (16.50 hours), American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Contact Hours (16.50 hours), American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) CE Credits (16.50 hours), Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) CE Credits (16.50 hours)
Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, the University of California, San Francisco Office of CME is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
IPCE Credit: UCSF Office of CME designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 16.50 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) Credit(s).
AAPA Credit: UCSF Office of CME has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria.
This activity is designated for 16.50 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit
commensurate with the extent of their participation.
ANCC Credit: UCSF Office of CME designates this Activity for a maximum of 16.50 ANCC contact hours.
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Contact
Please email [email protected] with any questions. Thank you for your interest in DEX26!
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Previous Meetings
View information about previous DEX meetings here.