These order of magnitude increases were also reflected at national levels. Here registration fees were not waived, but were moderate. Smaller societies such as the European Respiratory Society (ERS) reported a 50% increase: 33,784 virtual cf 22,094 physical. One important caveat here is that delegate registration fees were waived. Major societies such as the European Society of cardiology (ESC) reported a 177% increase in attendees for its 2020 annual congress: 77,350 virtual attendees (logged-on) 2020 cf 27,946 physical attendees 2019. The majority of societies reported significant increases in attendee numbers compared with those from their equivalent 2019 physical conferences. One of the most striking characteristics of the shift to virtual formats was the recognition that many more doctors were able to attend. Part 2 will assess possible scenarios for 2022 and beyond. This article summarises the most important lessons learnt during 2020 – 2021. It currently appears highly unlikely that the majority of conferences will simply return to typical face-to-face only formats as they were before 2020. It has also triggered a global debate on the future of medical conferences with discussions focusing on innovative formats catering to newly-emerging attendee and participant preferences. The shift to virtual alone has already had a profound impact on all conference stakeholders: medical societies themselves, doctors, patients, commercial partners, and professional conference organisers (PCOs). Towards the conclusion of 2021 many societies announced another shift in format 2022 conferences would be hybrid, or increasingly and more realistically described as ‘physical with virtual participation options,’ or similar. To anyone unfamiliar with the medical conference world this phenomenon might be described as revolutionary, however, to those who have been following the slow but steady shift towards the integration of more and better digital options at society events it is far better described as evolutionary.Īnd the evolution continues. The vast majority of societies were able to transition their planned physical events to virtual formats within remarkably short periods of time, and some delivered impressive attendee experiences.
The COVID-19 pandemic has radically disrupted traditional medical society conferences in a way that could scarcely have been imagined in 2019.
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