Keeping it Fresh: Maintaining a Reason to Attend a Professional Conference

There are thousands of medical professional conferences each year around the world. The cost to host and attend professional conferences continues to increase while organizations are decreasing budgets allocated for attending. Then there is a notion that the internet and social media platforms make conference information and contacts available without ever leaving the office.

Historically, success is evidenced when meetings draw crowds, sponsors and exhibitors quantify a positive return on their investment, and the content is graded as informative by attendees. But success can also breed complacency with the temptation to re-bake the same successful recipe year after year. That is a mistake.

In 2019, the AAWC began offering regional education summits. The model offers science-based deep dives into specific topics crucial to advancing wound care. At the same time, the model is responsive to reduced budgets and enables members to travel shorter distances. On the other hand, the content of each summit draws global expertise to bring best in class research and care direct to those involved in the day-to-day ministrations of wound care. The increased intimacy of the regional meetings improves face-to-face interaction and connection so it is possible to actually meet with all those on a target list.

For example, the AAWC continues to host one annual Pressure Ulcer Summit (PrU) drawing attendees from across the globe. This topic is one of daily challenge to wound care providers and staying in front of current research is crucial. The Summit is designed to be collaborative, evidence-based, interactive, scientific, open and cutting edge. One attendee reported it to be, “a learning bonanza.” Ninety-eight (98%) percent of attendees said they were satisfied or highly satisfied with the multi-disciplinary approach to wound care and 94% said the PrU Summit exceeded their expectations.

In 2019 the AAWC will be host to multiple Wound Infection Summits (WIS, pronounced WISE) and the feedback about those held to date underscore the content and operational model are highly successful. With 94% reporting WIS to be scientifically sound and 92% reporting it helpful in practice and treatment strategies. One attendee said it was, “concise, relatable, and comprehensible.” Another described it as “exciting, collaborative, cutting-edge information.”

Conversely, AAWC members report different experiences with a recent national conference. One found the agenda to be virtually identical to offerings of prior years with the same topics for the educational tracks and even some repeat speakers. One said she will have a hard time selling through to her employer a compelling reason to attend again.

As the AAWC’s national and global presence expands, its influence for advancing wound care makes the AAWC’s leadership coveted partners at meetings hosted by others. This year, the AAWC has been invited to develop multidisciplinary wound care educational tracks for several prominent national meetings including DFCon, focusing on diabetic foot wounds, Desert Foot focusing on limb salvage, and the C3 Summit focused on collaboration among cardiovascular disciplines necessary to successfully manage complex coronary, carotid, and peripheral arterial disease. As an international partner to the European Wound Management Association (EWMA), the AAWC will participate in their global Summit in June.

While AAWC is likely to host national meetings in the future, it will do so with an eye toward assuring attendees find it fresh, scientific, medically practical, collaborative and interactive. However, for 2019 the bold move to shake up its conference model has proven smart. The following is the schedule for the remaining 2019 AAWC conferences. We hope to see you there.

AAWC Regional Wound Infection Summit

Detroit Kansas City
August 16-17, 2019
Detroit, Michigan
October 5-6, 2019
Kansas City, MO

AAWC Regional Lower Extremity Summit
November 1-2, 2019
Sacramento, CA

Also look for AAWC Featured Tracks at these meetings:
Special AAWC Member Rates will apply!

***Log in to the Members Only section of the AAWC website to obtain Member Discount Codes***

Complex Cardiovascular Catheter Therapeutics: Advanced Endovascular and Coronary Intervention Global Summit (C3)
June 23-26, Orlando, FL
AAWC Members save 15% on registration!
http://www.c3conference.net/Main/Conference-Registration

DFCon – Diabetic Foot Global Conference
October 17-19, Los Angeles, CA
AAWC Members save 15% on registration!
http://dfcon.com/

Desert Foot
December 4-7, Phoenix, AZ
AAWC Members pay only $99!
https://www.desertfoot.org/

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