Despite the major challenge of compliance and the tightening of regulations for promotional activity, face-to-face meetings in the healthcare sector are set to grow, aided by technology and innovative meetings techniques. This was the over-riding message of the second Healthcare Meetings Forum (HCF 13), held at the QEII Conference Centre in London recently.
How healthcare meetings can meet future needs, deal with the issues of compliance and make the most of multi-channel marketing headed the agenda, as HCF 13, hosted by Zibrant, looked to address the challenges by bringing together those with a vested interest in successful meetings: pharma industry professionals, healthcare providers, agencies and suppliers.
The relationship between these stakeholders at physical meetings has been threatened by falling delegate numbers at some medical information meetings doctors struggle to find time to attend events and new digital channels seek to emulate interaction threatening some meeting formats.
Delegate numbers for the HCF 2013 itself bucked the sector’s trend, with a 10 per cent increase to around 150.
Two-thirds of those surveyed in a pre-conference study flagged compliance as the single most challenging issue faced.
Stringent corporate, government and association rules for medical meetings have been perceived to limit the scope of traditional event activities, not least in the sphere of sponsorship, an income stream for organisers.
However, HCF13 delegates preferred not to see compliance as a barrier to activity, but rather as a complicated process to manage.
Nevertheless, delegates heard compliance rules of the game were likely to become even tougher in the UK, with anti-bribery laws likely to mean disclosure of individual doctor payments, akin to the existing Sunshine Act in the US.
Caroline MacKenzie, Director of Business Development at Congrex Group, explained how some of the rules of the healthcare meetings game had changed. Where delegates were not fully funded to attend medical meetings, due to regulatory restrictions, they were more likely to appreciate the value of what they received, Mackenzie argued.
Nancy Russotto, Member of the Eucomed Compliance Panel, highlighted how efficient processes were being rolled out to ensure events were compliant with the rules.
A White Paper has been published post-HCF 13 as part of a drive to maintain outcome-based momentum following the event.
Nearly two-thirds of the audience (65%) in a post-event survey said they were more, or much more optimistic on the future for healthcare meetings, reported Director of Compliant Venues and a member of the HCF13 Steering Committee, Mark Hanrth. “Challenges have not gone away but we can see a collective sense of how we can solve them, and that there is a future for face-to-face meetings in the sector, by continuing to be transparent, educated and collaborative on the challenges facing us.”
Further information on the White Paper and HCF is available at: www.healthcareforum13.com
See also CN’s November edition for a full exclusive report on the HCF 13 at the QEIICC in London.
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