4 Phases of Organizing a Medical Conference

Healthcare Events

There are various types of healthcare events that are being organized in the healthcare sector, each of these events has its own set of purposes depending on the need of it. Organizing a Medical Conference is a very tough job but if planned correctly it can be beneficial to everyone. Below are four steps that you can apply to make sure your entire process of organizing a conference runs smoothly.

Feb 11
author
Saurabh Vyas
Product Manager -Docthub Events

Only those who have organized an event in the past can understand how crucial it is to pay attention to every tiny detail to ensure the entire event or conference runs smoothly. There are different stages that need to be dealt with systematically and requirements that need to be fulfilled.

Every Conference or event may require different sorts of setup, there are some universal rules that you can follow to map out the entire event. These phases work in the following way.

To organize and execute a conference or an event smoothly there are multiple things that should be kept in mind. The 4 phases strategy helps you to plan every move of the conference ahead.

Define the type

There are various types of healthcare events that you can organize depending on your need. Each of these events has its own set of purposes. You need to identify your needs and select the appropriate choice.

Conference

Workshop

CME/CPD

Seminar

Webinar

Medical Trade Show

Health Exhibition/ Expo 

Medical Conference

Medical Conferences play an important role in healthcare as a whole industry. It educates medical practitioners on the ongoing trends and practices that are being followed in the industry. 

Since most of the practitioners and doctors have a very tight schedule, the organizers must plan everything beforehand to keep everything under control. 

The layout of a medical conference

Organized by: Associations/NGO/Medical Institutes

Organized For: Doctors/ Healthcare Professionals

Availability of the Organizers: Very Busy (Since most doctors are busy with day-to-day work)

Planning ahead: Weekend meetings, delegating work among committee members

For smooth execution, the event should be planned at least 6 months prior to the final date.



The Four Phases of planning and executing an Event

Stage - 1: Early-Stage Planning 

The primary thing that needs to be done while organizing a conference is to finalize the outline and an image of the conference. This stage gives a rough idea of how the conference will be shaped. The following are the things that need to be taken care of during this stage.

Conference Title and Logo

Creative Visuals: Cover Image, Flyer

Event Location: Host City, Venue

Website or Event URL

Registration Tariff and Deadlines: Offline Registration Form

Online and Offline Registration Platform: e.g.- Docthub

First announcement date: To prepare the audience 

Committee Members: Identifying and Finalizing Committee Members to know whom to contact for different needs. 

This phase should be completed entirely in one month

Stage - 2: Registrations and Abstracts

This stage includes defining and formatting the conference to make the picture clear. The subjects, schedule, and other details are addressed and taken care of in this stage. That may include:

Conference Brochure

Abstracts Guidelines and Application form

Defining Committees & Roles such as Registration, Scientific, Poster & Paper Competition, Logistics, and Cultural 

Deadline for Abstract Submission

Sponsorship proposals, communication with corporates and institutions

Promotions on Whatsapp, SMS, Email, social media

Plan the entire schedule and after hour executions such as Gala dinner, Site visit, cultural events 

This phase should be completed entirely within 1-2 months

Phase - 3: Scientific Programs and Speakers

The third stage focuses on finalizing every event that will take place during the conference and running through details. That may include:

Decide the Scientific Theme and Topics of the Conference

Identify & Secure Speakers and Chairpersons

Finalize Abstracts and Notify Applicants

Finalizing Audio-Visual Requirements and Arranging the same.

Assign Session Moderators

Design and Order Materials such as Badges, Kits, Certificates, etc.

Confirm meeting rooms and Food Menu


Allocate at least 2 months to this phase

Phase - 4: Logistics & On-site

The fourth and final stage is just running through the details and checking if there are any errors.  It also includes setting up everything as per the plan and preparing for the pre-conference meeting. This stage includes:

Taking care of the Resources Required at the Venue

Registration Desk/Kiosk: Attendee List

Exhibition Area & Kiosk Building: Corporate Communications and Distribution

Audio Visual Instrument Set-up

Contacting Food Catering Agency

Looking after Traveling and Housing Arrangements for Speakers and Guests

Collecting and Organizing Badges, Attendee Kits, Certificates

Pre-conference Walk-through of the Venue with the Entire Team

Allocate 1 month to this stage

By now you must have found how arranging and managing a successful conference is a tough task, but it can smoothen up with the right choices such as with Docthub.com

Docthub provides an adaptable events dashboard that you can customize as per your need and take care of every small detail such as registrations/cancellations, receiving payments online, uploading and reviewing abstracts, sending emails and SMS to the attendees, and much more. For more details visit events.docthub.com

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