Meeting like Kings
MCI ’ S GLOBAL ENDOSCOPY CONFERENCE WON THEM AN AWARD WITH THE ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE ORGANISERS . CMW EXPLORES THE EVENT
K ing ’ s Live is the flagship annual conference and masterclass of the KL Foundation . The meeting brings together global medical trainees , consultants , and leading experts in the field of endoscopy for a five-day scientific programme . The educational content and live surgical demonstrations are key to the advancement of gastroenterology and endo-surgery .
MCI has worked with the registered charity since 2016 as their PCO and 2020 provided a great opportunity to showcase the agency ’ s creative approach as well as their knowledge of digital transformation . Historically , the annual conference had live surgeries in front of audiences of around 250 in-person attendees , alongside a series of hands-on masterclasses in endoscopy procedures . Covid would change all of that .
In 2020 , the face-to-face meeting was not possible due to Covid restrictions ; meaning that the scientific programme and live endo-surgery had to be redesigned into a virtual format . The digital experience needed to facilitate interactive learning and the sharing of professional best practice ; while allowing trainees and consultants to connect and engage with expert-led content .
For the virtual conference , a live studio was created in King ’ s Hospital with three operating theatres connected to a live video feed . Setting up a live broadcasting studio with multiple feeds from live surgeries proved challenging within a working hospital environment . Extra power
Agency : MCI Event : Kings Live 2021 Location : London , UK Delegates : 750 Date : 10-14 Nov 2020
and internet connectivity had to be carefully scoped out as well as production installations coordinated around hospital access .
Each operating theatre had three to five patients undergoing endo-surgery - broadcast live while a panel of surgeons in the studio commentated on the procedure . Sponsor representatives were also streamed into the panel , when relevant , to discuss their products during real-time usage . These multiple live streams allowed attendees to have a dynamic learning experience , while live questioning the panellists and surgeons . The attendees could personalise their experience by choosing which stream they wanted to prioritise . This represented a significant change and improvement
Below : Hybrid engagement from the face-to-face conference , where the audience historically had a single fixed feed – for Kings Live 2020 they could tailor their learning to their specialism .
A dedicated digital platform was designed to enable both pre-recorded and live presentations from renowned international speakers . The audience was able to engage in live Q & A sessions as well as interactive questionnaires to reinforce their learning . Of particular use was the fact that the virtual platform was supported by artificial intelligence that enabled person-to-person matchmaking as well as person-to-item . This meant that delegates were presented with the most relevant networking opportunities as well as content that matched their specialisms and interests . Sponsors were also able to engage with interested delegates
The King ’ s Live organising committee place great importance on the educational development and knowledge sharing of the profession with students and trainees .
ISSUE 117 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 13