Planning and managing global medical meetings: five best practices

By Jaqueline Campbell, Project Director at SWM Partners

It is not uncommon for a clinical trial to span multiple countries or regions, and when it comes to hosting meetings that relate to them, there are many unique considerations at play.

In addition to gaining the required approvals and ensuring the relevant regulatory requirements are adhered to, it’s important to evolve all or some of the elements of the events, as well as materials that relate to them, to ensure key information is shared in informative ways.

Define the goals and audience

It’s imperative to identify a meeting series’ target audience and overarching goals, such as to introduce a new study, communicate updates about an existing trial, and provide attendees with opportunities to connect and share their experiences – or a combination of all or some of these – before any planning begins.

This information is vital, as it will then be used to conduct delegate research, ensuring a both personalised and culturally relevant experience across every stage and touch point, and it will also inform all key planning and onsite management decisions.

Adopt a strategic location selection process

Consider where delegates are based, and explore those cities that provide ease of accessibility so as to encourage local and regional attendance, feature suitable meeting spaces and accommodation options, and from an environmental standpoint, where possible reduce peoples’ need to travel more than is required.

For Asia-Pacific, for example, Singapore is often an effective option, given its central location for delegates from countries throughout the region, and plethora of state-of-the-art hotels and well equipped meeting facilities.

In those instances where people are travelling internationally, understanding and providing support on any visa and documentation requirements is paramount, as this will ensure a seamless journey to and from the host country.

Determine the meeting’s format

Based on your audience research, you will ideally identify peoples’ preferred way of joining meetings, interacting, and learning.

Those in particular locations may expect there to be a virtual option, for example, whereas for others, the opportunity to meet colleagues face-to-face is a drawcard. Additionally, some may be a little less inclined to engage in open discussions, and so the option to ask questions and take part in polls via interactive tools is essential.

Other considerations include the meeting’s duration and overall agenda, as it may be the norm for events to span multiple days and a variety of delivery styles – such as presentations, panels and demonstrations – in one location, whereas in another, a condensed agenda featuring presentations by key opinion leaders (KOLs), and then supported by post-meeting materials may be most appropriate.