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Comprehensive Guide to Health Conferences

 

Health conferences provide avenues for disseminating the latest scientific and medical insights to all relevant stakeholders. And in an industry where up-to-date information is oxygen, these yearly meetings breathe life into the industry and ensure physicians, researchers, and healthcare teams are equipped to improve and optimize patient care.

Additionally, healthcare conferences represent a unique opportunity to network with peers, problem-solve, present clinical research, advance new ideas, and address global health concerns.

Many annual conferences on health were delayed or shifted to virtual events due to COVID-19. But now, in-person conferences are resuming once more. That’s why we’ve created a health conference guide so that you can take advantage of the exciting events coming in 2023.

 

01 

What Are Health
Conferences?

Health conferences provide avenues for disseminating the latest scientific and medical insights to all relevant stakeholders. And in an industry where up-to-date information is oxygen, these yearly meetings breathe life into the industry and ensure physicians, researchers, and healthcare teams are equipped to improve and optimize patient care.

Additionally, healthcare conferences represent a unique opportunity to network with peers, problem-solve, present clinical research, advance new ideas, and address global health concerns.

Many annual conferences on health were delayed or shifted to virtual events due to COVID-19. But now, in-person conferences are resuming once more. That’s why we’ve created a health conference guide so that you can take advantage of the exciting events coming in 2023.

Health Conferences
in 2023

Seeing as health conferences represent a unique opportunity to meet and communicate with medical peers, your first thought may be to maximize the potential value by attending as many events as possible.

But, your time and budget are probably limited. And not every conference is guaranteed to provide ROI.

For instance, a medical device manufacturer would likely prefer a conference where an expo floor is a central feature of the event. That type of meeting would put them in a better position to show off their products, meet with potential investors, and spread the word.

Put simply, to derive the most value from your conference attendance, you should carefully curate a conference stack that aligns with your desired goals and outcomes by considering features like:

01

The speakers

02

Conference details
(time, cost, location, etc.)

03

Which industry experts
will be attending

04

The primary topics of
the conference

So, what are the upcoming health conferences in 2023 that you should consider adding to the list?

Annual Congress of the European Society of Anaesthesiology (EUROANAESTHESIA)

Jun 3, 2023
Glasgow Scottland

Jun 3, 2023
Frankfurt Germany

Jun 6, 2023
DC Washington

Jun 7, 2023
Wien Austria

Jun 13, 2023
Italy

Jun 14, 2023
Ontario Toronto Canada

Jun 15, 2023
TX Houston

Jun 15, 2023
Milan Italy

Jun 15, 2023
IL Chicago

Jun 15, 2023
Louisiana

Jun 19, 2023
Liverpool England

Jun 19, 2023
TX Dallas

Jun 20, 2023
FL New Orleans

Jun 20, 2023
Prague Czech Republic

Jun 21, 2023
CO Colorado Springs

Jun 21, 2023
D.C. Washington

Jun 22, 2023
Manchester England

Jun 24, 2023
GA Athens

 

02 

Who Can Attend
Health Conferences?

As mentioned, some events only require that you pay to attend. Others are limited only to industry professionals. And then there are conferences that you can only attend if you’re a sub-specialist aligned with the conference focus. That said, common participants in major health conferences include:

01

Providers and
health systems

02

Payers and
insurance companies

03

Employers and
benefits leaders

04

Consumer tech
and wellness

05

Physicians

06

Researchers

07

Investors

08

Startups

09

Health tech companies

10

Life science and
pharma companies

11

Patient community

12

Federal health agencies

 

03 

What are the
Benefits of Attending?

Similarly, the expected positive outcomes of attendance are linked to the conference itself.
Generally speaking, the benefits of attending a health conference include:

An opportunity to meet industry peers as well as potential collaborators or investors via face-to-face for high-quality networking

Learn the latest industry trends, breakthroughs, and developments in global health

Professional and personal development opportunities catered to your unique interests

Present healthcare research or exhibit your products to expand brand awareness

Build your reputation as an expert in your field

That said, if you had to boil it down to a single benefit, the underlying reason to attend medical conferences is that it’s a golden opportunity for peer-to-peer communication. As researchers note:

The value of a clinical conference is thought to be in direct communication between physicians, in analysis of topical issues in a given specialty with the aim to improve the quality of care. Speakers based on their own observations and studies reveal the most urgent problems, analyze results and offer potential decisions to their colleagues interested in the same questions.

 

04 

What’s Covered at a
Health Conference?

Every conference will differ in its curriculum. However, the typical schedule typically includes the following major events:

Keynote speakers – Everyone attends the keynote sessions. Typically, either a single expert or group of speakers lecture or present on universal health topics.

Educational breakout sessions – Each day, attendees have the option to select from one of dozens of available breakout sessions, which could be lectures, presentations, or group panels.

Expo hall – The exhibit hall is an open-air portion where attendees can walk the floor to see the latest advancements in life science and medical technology.

Award dinners – Major health conferences often host a lavish dinner and award ceremony for health professionals and researchers who have made a positive impact on communities.

Receptions – There are often nightly receptions where colleagues can connect over drinks.

 

05 

How to Prepare for a
Health Conference

Conferences represent a unique opportunity to learn, connect, and grow. However, the value derived from them depends entirely on you. If you properly prepare, you can ensure that the weekend is a success.

Preparing to
Host an Event

If your company, clinic, or medical organization wants to host a health conference, your first focus should be on the target attendee – the entire event should cater towards creating the most rewarding experience for that person. It can significantly impact anything from the key speakers to the conference topics.

From there, the primary purpose of medical conferences should be to foster dialogue and awareness around the selected health topics.

To that end, use every means at your disposal to create a unique, stimulating, and impactful conference. Specifically, an insights management platform, like Within3, could help you identify and engage diverse key opinion leaders (KOLs) and gather insights to your most critical questions.

Preparing to
Attend an Event

If you plan on attending an event, here are some tips for preparing ahead of time:

 

Determine your goal – Are you trying to find investors? Do you want to build your professional network and reputation? Whatever it is, you should set clear objectives from the outset. Doing so will ensure you build an agenda moving you toward your goals.

 

Set an agenda – Conferences often provide so many options that you can quickly become overwhelmed and fall into choice paralysis. But you only have a limited amount of time and energy; therefore, you must narrow your focus. Typically, the conference will provide an early release of the program calendar online. So, for each day, highlight one or two must-attend sessions and one or two sessions that pique your interest.

 

Take notes – When you do attend the conference, be sure to take thorough notes. Although some of the events may be recorded, it’s wise to jot down your key impressions immediately so you can revisit your experiences and takeaways later.

 

Network – Networking is one of the primary benefits of health conferences. So, come prepared – bring your business cards and take advantage of the opportunity to meet new colleagues and reconnect with old ones.

 

06 

Discover New Health
Technologies – Within3

In-person health conferences are back on the menu. With a full slate of exciting opportunities on the horizon, now’s the time to start planning and preparing.

Equipped with tools like the Within3 platform, it becomes that much easier to plan and prepare for your next big medical conference. Our powerful insights management platform can help you connect with KOLs, gather information from attendees, and provide actionable insights to enhance your health conference the following year.

If you want to discover more about this groundbreaking platform, experience a demo with one of our experts.

Sources

Science Direct. Do medical conferences have a role to play? Sharpen the saw. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019483216001127

NCBI. Clinical Conferences for Physicians: Who Sets the Agenda? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26639730/