The 2nd Summit of Polish Cardiac Society’s Cardiac Surgery Section was Poland’s first medical event to apply the virtual platform Avatarland. The adopted formula responded to the current pandemic conditions and demonstrated that innovative solutions make it possible to stage safe events.

Virtual space hosted auditoria, an EXPO exhibition zone, and private rooms for business meetings of conference participants. More than 250 physicians and students from all over Poland, specialists in cardiology and cardiac surgery, filled out the virtual auditorium rented by Polish Cardiac Society. 11 hours of lectures involved five thematic sections:

• Prospects of atrial fibrillation treatment (hybrid ablation procedure),
• Problems and challenges of cardiac surgery and cardiology during the COVID-19 pandemic,
• New technologies available for cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology (valves),
• Strategies of treating coronary heart disease,
• Advanced aorta treatment applying the aortic valve.

The sponsors’ zone featured company stands where business partners had unlimited access to other participants. The accompanying trade fair involved close to 30 exhibitors showcasing their services and products. The conference wrapped up on a virtual beach with an open-air festival stage, a concert and a fireworks show.

“As a rule, the conference used to be attended by physicians with a relatively less busy schedule and a small number of representatives of cooperating companies. After all, the staff of hospitals and other institutions had to keep working”, explains Prof. dr hab. med. Piotr Suwalski of the Clinical Department of Cardiac Surgery, Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration in Warsaw. “On the other hand, the virtual formula made it possible to register literally everyone, with participants taking advantage of the educational content of a select thematic section related to the fields they are interested in. At the same time, it did not generate costs unlike onsite conferences that require attendants to cover transportation and accommodation expenses. The Avatarland space and avatars guaranteed that participants could interact with each other. I believe that this showed just how much people miss the so-called normal life. I am glad that we were able to provide them with the next best thing”.   

The conference was held in accordance with the Transparency Code of the INFARMA Employers’ Union of Innovative Pharmaceutical Companies and met the ethical requirements of POLMED. In addition, its participants received educational points granted by the Regional Medical Chamber.

The virtual Avatarland platform is available for events, conferences and trade shows. Each participant is given the opportunity to create his own avatar with real-time control, imitating hand gestures and moving around the trade show and exhibition area. In addition, attendants can also communicate via a voice chat.

Source: eventowablogerka.pl [PL]