Earlier this week, I shared five tips to help you keep your next health care or supportive care conference running smoothly. The post was originally intended to be a Top 10 list, but as I was putting it together, I realized I had lot more to share with you than I first thought!
So here they are… five more ways you can make sure your next supportive care event runs smoothly. Enjoy!
COFFEE!
If you are like me, this should be a given – we cannot function without our caffeine. Not only should there be coffee, there should be enough coffee. Running out is inexcusable. While you might be at the mercy of the venue for this, make sure they know how you feel about it ahead of time.
The coffee also needs to be where folks can get it. Putting the coffee in a separate room is only okay if the audience can get to it without disrupting the presentation. If the doors are squeaky, put the coffee pots at the back of the room. Want to really wow them? Keep full pots on each table.
I know it sounds crazy, but one year this was called out on our evaluations by a lot of folks. Seriously… coffee!
In that same light, mid-afternoons are always times when folks need a boost. Water and soft drinks and maybe a light snack would keep the energy going. It’s an expense, but it is worth it for the audience to be more receptive to the speakers after lunch.
Enough Time for Breaks & Networking
When you are planning your agenda, you will be tempted to cram in as much as possible. You are spending a lot of time (and money) to bring folks together, and you want them to learn as much as they can. However, one of the key principals of supportive care is self-care so don’t over-schedule!
Give time between presentations to allow the audience to ask questions of the speaker and to network with each other. At OSF, we have teams from all of over Illinois and Michigan, some of whom never get to see each other. There is a lot more learning going on than just when your speakers are talking, trust me. With that said, don’t make the breaks so long that folks wander and lose focus, but give them time to say hello and network a bit.
Lunch
If lunch is buffet style, make sure there are enough lines and enough time for everyone to get through and have time to eat. Served lunches may actually be more problematic, as people tend to wander in late, and/or leave early from lunch. If you go this route, make sure the audience knows how it works. Hungry listeners are not happy listeners.
You may want to offer some sort of lunch activity – presentation, notes, discussions, etc. At OSF, we’ve learned that lunch time should be down time. Let your attendees recharge their bodies with good food and their brains with good conversation. If you want to do something, make it light and entertaining. Just like the breaks, don’t be tempted to cram in one more thing.
Offer Continuing Education Credits
If someone makes the time to come to your supportive care conference, they should get credit for it. Most health care professionals have to earn a minimum of continuing education hours so make sure they can get them. Having said that, CE credit requirements vary by profession and are becoming more stringent. It takes a lot of work to fill out the forms and meet the requirements. Find out who your CE provider is, work with them, and connect early. You will be amazed at how much time this actually takes, but it is definitely worth it.
Personal Invitations & Engagement
Even with the greatest speakers known to man, at the perfect conference center, on the best date for everyone, there is no substitute for reaching out and personally inviting people to come. They will see that you value them, and genuinely want them to benefit from your event. This is especially true for supportive care conferences, where folks either think they already know the material or aren’t interested in the topic. Make sure you tell them why it is important for them to attend.
Bonus Tip – Hold a Pre-Conference Speakers’ Dinner
This should be offered to the speakers as an option. Some want to have the evening before to re-group after traveling, to update their slides, or whatever. Some may not make it to town in time for a dinner. Those who do attend will be appreciative of the chance to meet the other speakers and to learn more about your program and city.
Chance connections can become collegial relations, and though you are paying them for their presentations, this is just good practice. You may not have time to interact much with them the day of the conference, so it also gives you a chance to personally interact with them. Again, keep it light, informal, and flexible. If someone needs to come late or leave early, so be it. Make sure you invite the planning committee as well, as a reward for all their hard work.
Final Thoughts
Planning and holding a supportive care conference is a lot of work and requires a highly organized, dedicated team with lots of energy and time. Medical education is moving to more virtual venues all the time, with webinars and online presentations, which are easier to put together, and less expensive to offer and attend.
While I support the increased learning that can happen as a result of technology, I also find there is a huge benefit to in-person events that technology won’t ever overcome. While it might be a little easier to put together, I find that the work is well worth it for our annual one-day event or, as a friend of mine once said, “the juice is worth the squeeze.”
I’d be interested to hear others’ thoughts. Leave a comment and let me know what your list might have that isn’t on mine!
Last Updated: November 6, 2018
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