Medical Device Link.

Originally Published MX May/June 2003

BUSINESS PLANNING & TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

For medtech companies set to launch new products, professional conferences and trade shows provide a key element of the marketing mix.

Renee DiIulio

Professional conferences and trade shows are facing tough times—terrorism, travel concerns, and other threats are taking a serious toll on the industry. The recent cancellation of the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) due to concerns about severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) presents an example of the types of issues show organizers must consider.

Despite such challenges, involvement in professional meetings and trade shows nevertheless remains one of the best avenues for medtech companies seeking to reach out to potential and existing clients. A study by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (Chicago), which evaluated the value of exhibitions within the total marketing mix, found that company expenditures on trade show exhibits ranked second only to their direct and field sales costs. Other marketing strategies—including advertising, direct mail, public relations, and telemarketing—all fell behind trade shows. According to Exhibitor Surveys Inc. (Red Bank, NJ), the average cost per visitor reached at a trade show is $177, compared with $295 for a field sales call.

As organizers continue to make events even more appealing by offering additional programs for exposure—from traditional sponsorships and advertising to opportunities for conducting educational sessions and hosting press conferences—an exhibition's value increases.

Following are 11 events that companies offering medical products and services may want to add to their marketing mix.

The annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) features an educational program designed for ophthalmologists, nurses, ophthalmic technicians, and other allied health personnel engaged in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases. The 2002 event drew 12,686 of these professional attendees among a total attendance of 21,910. More than 500 exhibitors showcased the latest developments in ophthalmic technology. The academy's 107th annual meeting, which will be held November 15–18, 2003, at the Anaheim Convention Center (Anaheim, CA), will debut a new format that features unopposed exhibition hours and a welcome reception on the show floor.

Companies specializing in implants, bone and tissue products, computer software, practice management, and numerous other products and services related to the specialty of orthopedics should consider exhibiting at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Over 400 exhibitors were expected to display their wares to more than 14,000 attendees at this year's event, held earlier this year. Medical professionals are drawn to the show floor by its exhibits as well as its technology pavilion, which features free presentations that showcase current technology products and applications developed for the healthcare professional. The academy's 71st annual meeting will be held March 10–14, 2004, in San Francisco.

The exhibit hall at the 2002 edition of Digestive Disease Week attracted more than 15,000 professional attendees.

Approximately 8000 otolaryngologists and other health professionals are expected to attend this year's American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) annual meeting and Oto Expo, which will be held September 20–24 at the Orange County Convention Center (Orlando, FL). More than 300 of the world's leading pharmaceutical, medical technology, and healthcare service companies are expected to showcase their products and services to the attendees, who work in academia, private practice, and government healthcare agencies. Poster sessions provide additional exposure for exhibitors.

Originally scheduled for April 2003, this year's annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) was canceled because of concerns about the potential spread of SARS among clinical participants. Organizers have recently announced that they have rescheduled the meeting for July 11-14, 2003, in Washington, DC. Meanwhile, the association's 2004 event will go on March 27–31, 2004, in Orlando, FL. AACR attendees are laboratory scientists and clinical investigators specializing in all aspects of cancer research, including experimental therapeutics, immunology, toxicology, and biotechnology. The 2002 event gathered more than 12,000 such healthcare professionals. Companies that serve this industry can extend exposure beyond their exhibit with poster sessions that encourage attendees to view the entire hall, which featured 347 exhibitors at the 2002 event.

More than 600 exhibitors are expected at the annual meeting and clinical lab expo of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC), to be held July 20–24 in Philadelphia. These companies represent every clinical lab discipline, including allergy, automation and robotics, blood gas and electrolytes, clinical decision systems, DNA and RNA testing, hematology, and patient self-testing. The meeting's 16,000 attendees include lab directors, department directors, managers, administrators, hospital technology managers, academic and industry scientists, and other healthcare providers who have an interest in laboratory and other IVD testing. Industry suppliers have an additional opportunity to present their latest advances to meeting participants through the meeting's OEM lecture series.

The attendees of the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) are hepatologists and hepatology health professionals. Approximately 4500 professionals of this segment attended the 2002 event. The association's 54th annual meeting will take place this October 24–28 at the John B. Hynes Convention Center (Boston). In addition to showcasing products and services on the show floor, exhibiting companies may participate in a limited number of independent educational symposia presented after the scheduled educational events. As discussed below, AASLD is also a cosponsor of Digestive Disease Week.

Digestive Disease Week (DDW) is overseen by the DDW Council, comprising representatives from the four DDW societies: the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT). AGA administers the meeting on behalf of the council. Physicians, researchers, and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy, and gastrointestinal surgery attend the event to learn about the latest advances in gastrointestinal research, medicine, and technology. DDW 2002 attracted more than 15,000 attendees and 241 exhibitors. Exhibiting companies include pharmaceutical, biomedical, and device and instrumentation companies, as well as medical publishers and healthcare foundations. The next DDW will take place May 17–22, 2003, at the Orange County Convention Center (Orlando, FL).

The annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America drew more than 24,000 professional attendees in 2002.

The 51st annual clinical meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) took place in April in New Orleans. In 2002, 4039 obstetricians, gynecologists, and related healthcare professionals attended the event, which showcased more than 350 exhibitors, including pharmaceutical companies, equipment manufacturers, medical suppliers, book publishers, and healthcare organizations. Although ACOG discourages unofficial activities at the show, exhibitors may apply to hold certain events during unrestricted times. Fees charged for holding such events differ according to the type of activity, with categories for such types as educational and social events.

The 53rd annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) will also take place in New Orleans, March 7–10, 2004. Companies from the technology, disease management, and pharmaceutical sectors will showcase their products and services to the cardiovascular specialists that attend the event. In 2002, when the event was held in Atlanta, it drew a total of nearly 29,000 attendees; just over 400 companies exhibited on the show floor. Opportunities for additional exposure are available in the InfoTech area, where the theater features morning and afternoon sessions. Morning sessions provide instruction on the latest software packages, while those in the afternoon feature innovators and inventors discussing the newest computer technology. Non-ACC sponsored programs facilitate further attendee contact.

Exhibitors at the 51st congress of the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN), to be held March 21–25, 2004, in San Diego, will find much opportunity for exposure beyond a typical display. During industry presentations, companies can present and discuss current operating room trends, developments, and issues and how they relate to their products and services; through AORN's partnership with HealthStream Education Design, companies may offer sessions within their booths at which attendees may earn continuing education credit; and for approved events, companies may request the use of meeting space in both the hotels and convention center.

On the show floor, exhibiting companies showcase products and services that include medical and surgical supplies, on-line buying systems, pharmaceuticals, and capital equipment. Attendees are perioperative professionals from nursing, materials management, central supply, purchasing, and infection control. According to TSSN.com, the 2002 event drew 575 exhibitors and 6300 attendees.

The largest of the events discussed here, the scientific assembly and annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) drew more than 650 exhibiting companies in 2002, and attracted over 59,000 attendees—more than 24,000 of whom were healthcare professionals. The 89th edition will be held November 30–December 5, 2003, in Chicago. Attendees include radiology professionals from physicians to technicians, academics to clinicians, and critical-care to long-term care, as well as hospital and corporate-based healthcare executives. Exhibitors, who showcase a range of important radiological products and services, can extend their reach through hands-on exhibitor workshops, computer sessions held in classroom environments. The meeting's infoRAD technical exhibits provide the opportunity to demonstrate computer applications and solutions in a laboratory-style learning environment.

Renee DiIulio is a freelance writer based in Southern Calfornia.

Photo courtesy of NASA

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