Forum key takeaways:
There needs to be an extensive re-think in the way that we structure the planning of meetings. As meeting professionals, we need to embrace complexity in planning and delivery and create new processes to communicate meeting objectives, integrating each stakeholder into a new style project team focused on addressing the needs of meeting outcomes and process efficiency
Forum key takeaways:
The 2014 Healthcare Meetings Forum Asia focused on the evolving nature of medical meetings in Asia, highlighting the challenges posed by regulatory compliance, shifting funding models, and the need for enhanced patient care. Emphasis was placed on collaborative dialogue among stakeholders to foster ethical and effective scientific communication.
Please note the view in this report reflect the views and content available at the time. In some cases the conclusions have been realised or changed in the time since their creation.
As we are about to share in our forthcoming 3rd Compliance Workshop, from the beginning of the pandemic in February 2020 to the “end”, c. 2 years later, there were no changes in European meal caps, and yes, that does include the UK! However, since then, we have seen 7 EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations) scorecard updates reflecting more than 12 different country increases.
To start off, if you were working with EU meals caps (including the UK) HERE you can find the latest EFPIA scorecard, as mentioned above, but NOTE: if the link stops working, it means that it has been updated, again! So please, in this instance, check the EFPIA website.
Failing that, you know that Healthcare Venues will post any updates on our page on LinkedIn and the Healthcare Hub community pages, You are welcome!
For our Healthcare Venues, here is our solution in this month’s HINT and TIP, however, for agencies, it might also answer some questions:
For hotels and venues, you MUST know what your national meal cap limit is – you are in the “host country”. This is typically included as part of our Venue healthcare Champion Training but if you are not part of our membership, click the EFPIA scorecard link above to find what national meal cap is. For non EU countries, please contact us.
Note: the rates shown are maximums! And even then, agencies should be considering the audience: can the level of hospitality be considered appropriate for a senior consultant, if so, it might not be considered appropriate for a nurse or newly qualified Doctor. And meeting stakeholders should consider whether the proportion of education in the agenda versus the level of hospitality is appropriate. Try the ‘red face’ test: would you be able to defend the choices made if the details of the event were made public?
Think about what menu packages you are sending along with your proposals, there is no point in sending dinner menu and drinks packages that exceed that limit, as selecting them would be uncompliant! “And no, we do not recommend that you should ‘create’ a room hire charge to enable you to reduce the menu price.”
Note: for venues who do typically charge a room hire for meeting and events, this would likely be acceptable, but note, some company policies may determine that room hire charges are included and spread across the number of attendees, thus making the per person cost exceed the meal cap.
Create healthcare meal packages that comply with your national meal cap limit, or even better, less, as many company policies apply the lowest or strictest rate.
We all know the costs of human resources, energy and ingredients have increased due to inflation, so it makes sense to sit down with your chefs to create cost effective and compliant menus and drinks packages. If as is typical you send all your menus, with your proposal including an attractive package at 70 euros, don’t be surprised when you are asked to charge 60 euros.
Be proactive with your clients. Demonstrate your knowledge and suggest that whilst we have healthcare packages that respect the national meal cap limit.
We can and have shared with you where to find the scorecard for meals and drinks however, the potential stricter company policies are not open source, so be sure to ask what meal cap they are applying to this meeting.
AND FINALLY…….A WORD OF WARNING FOR MEETING VENUES. There is a current trend of employing DJs in hotel lobbies and bars, which might be fun for leisure guests and the local community seeking some extra atmosphere, but if your clients are looking to book HCP dinners in your restaurant, anything more than background music i.e., DJs, live music or anything else that might be considered entertainment, and is likely to be considered inappropriate.
Good luck and if you have any questions, please do let us know. For our next Hint and Tip, how about we tackle Star Ratings?
Click here to read more about the work of Healthcare Venues.
The client and supplier relationship when planning meetings can be complex and stressful at times. It can be hard to accept that, but sometimes, without this being the intention of either party, it just doesn’t work efficiently. With an increasingly entry level meeting planning workforce and high demands on those with experience, expecting excellence without an investment is not sustainable. Neither is poor supplier performance. This is the problem that needs to be solved to engineer more efficient project planning.
Transparency, not on their own, KPI’s and SLA’s, is the cornerstone of this high performance relationship. Open communication about expectations, goals, and challenges ensures a shared vision. When suppliers are equipped with a clear understanding of their role and how their contributions align with the client’s objectives, they can tailor their solutions for maximum impact. Furthermore, an environment that prioritises transparency builds trust, fostering collaboration and long-term partnerships.Yes, it may seem excessive for a one off meeting, but the method is translatable regardless of the meeting size.
Creating a performance-oriented ecosystem is equally vital. Regular feedback, aligned with measurable metrics, empowers suppliers to fine-tune and evolve their meeting planning strategies. This involves not only highlighting areas for improvement but also acknowledging successes. Constructive feedback drives growth, while recognition fuels motivation, resulting in an upward spiral of excellence.
Embracing failure in innovative scenarios completes the triangle. Encouraging a culture where calculated risks are applauded, even if they result in failure, drives supplier innovation. Such an environment prompts suppliers to think outside the box, push boundaries, and ultimately deliver ground breaking solutions.
In conclusion, the success of a supplier-client collaboration can hinge on the environment clients cultivate. Transparency nurtures trust, a performance-driven approach boosts outcomes, and embracing failure fuels innovation. By prioritising these principles, clients pave the way for suppliers to thrive and create a synergy that can have a significant impact on the creation of successful meetings.
At 3Sixty, Betsy was more than an expert in meetings strategy—she was a beacon of kindness, professionalism, and fierce pride in the work she did. Her expertise in the healthcare sector and deep understanding of the US meetings matrix helped shape our success on an international scale. Betsy had over 30 years of experience in meeting and trade show management, hotel sales, and procurement, but her passion for advancing the industry went beyond any résumé. She was a pioneer, developing one of the earliest Strategic Meetings Management (SMM) programs for the world’s largest biotech company and creating venue compliance processes for the PhRMA guidelines.
Betsy was never content to simply follow; she led by example. She set up her own consultancy in 2007, sharing her wealth of knowledge through countless articles, presentations, and educational programs. Her influence reached across America, Europe, and Asia, where she championed the importance of meetings and, most importantly, the people behind them. Her unwavering enthusiasm and commitment touched everyone who had the privilege of working with her. Betsy brought not just expertise, but also warmth and generosity, creating lasting bonds with colleagues and clients alike.
This page will remain as a tribute to Betsy’s incredible character and her tireless work to advance the meetings industry. She may no longer be with us in person, but her spirit, her passion, and her extraordinary contributions will continue to inspire us all. Rest in peace, Betsy.
Mark’s career has seen him master a number of operational roles to become Director of global event management company World Events (now Ashfield Meetings), then Head of Global Events for F. Hoffmann La Roche where he established global compliance guidelines and the integration of 35 markets into a centralised solution.
More recently he worked with Grass Roots to create an aligned international multi-market offer for meetings and events, before becoming Director of 3Sixty Event Consulting and founding our independent venue compliance index healthcare-venues.com. When he’s not deeply involved in developing our own strategic and collaborative offering he is also an expert advisor to Plenum, a peer-to-peer networking group, through which he passionately contributes to the global dialogue around Healthcare meetings and events.
His consultancy experience has given him unrivalled industry insight into strategic meetings management, future trends and HCP engagement.
Simon is a specialist in Healthcare Sector meetings, with a finely tuned understanding of successful events across the product lifecycle. He has supported numerous top-level Healthcare and Life Science companies in developing clinical programmes, coordinating launch activities, and delivering engagement-driven meetings for internal and external audiences.
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