The Future of Leading Hybrid Conferences

The Example of ASH 2021

Medical conferences are designed to bring bright minds together and pique interest and curiosity. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), American Society of Hematology (ASH), European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), Gene Therapy for Rare Disorders, and other medical conferences play an important role in disseminating clinical and scientific information. Attendees range from physicians to investors, and the conferences provide a forum for peer-to-peer interactions, exposure to current research, innovative trends and an environment for continued knowledge sharing.

The COVID-19 global pandemic disrupted all aspects of life and has reshaped the way people now approach daily tasks, make business decisions, organize events and much more. For the past two years, and during a time of unprecedented uncertainty, many companies adapted to stay in business, and many moved to a purely virtual format.

The online format is now a tried and tested way for conferences to connect with a broader audience, but with increasing vaccination rates, lifted mask mandates, and other COVID-safety protocols, conference organizers are shifting back to in-person offerings. An example of this was the ASH 2021 Conference, which was a “hybrid” event. This “hybrid” approach reflects a similar “return to work” model seen by leading corporations globally, where there is the expectation for a mix of in-person and virtual interactions.

As a follow-up of the white paper “Navigating the Virtual World of Conferences” released in fall 2021, Trinity Life Sciences wanted to understand medical conference attendees’ perception of the new “hybrid” conference world, the advantages and disadvantages, as well as discern how manufacturers engaged their audiences. In late 2021, Trinity conducted a qualitative study of 14 U.S. oncologists regarding their experiences at the ASH 2021 Conference. The objective of this study was to understand how the emergence and surge of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, and pervasive pandemic, impacted respondent attendance to medical conferences, to better understand physician preferences moving forward as the industry evolves in a newly defined working world.

The study explored two key points: first, to identify strategies for optimal customer engagement in a hybrid conference setting, and second, to understand necessary improvements to hybrid conference participation, to inform the industry’s approach for an optimal conference strategy, and budget accordingly in preparation for future conferences.

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