Organising a custom-made medical congress

Meeting with Jenny Trupin, Associate Director of COMM Santé, a Bordeaux-based healthcare communication agency.

Comm Santé is a communication agency specialised in the health sector and an active supporter of major public health causes. It is organising the SOFOG congress, to be held 1st-3rd December 2021. Jenny Trupin, the Associate Director, helps us understand the company’s mission and what it’s like to organise the next congress in Bordeaux in the midst of the current health context.

Can you tell us about COMM Santé?

COMM Santé is a 360-degree communication agency devoted to the health field. Our purpose is to take on public health issues and address them using various means of communication. Our team implements the strategies in various complementary departments: Digital Communication and Social Media, Press Relations and Influence, Medical Education, Management of Learned Societies and Patients’ Associations.

This comprehensive support for communication projects has been the heart and soul of our agency for the past 25 years. We have also been greatly involved in issues of chronic and serious illnesses and oncology.

Twenty-five employees now work for COMM Santé in Bordeaux. We are currently preparing to move locations after finding a new premises in Talence. My associate Céline Dupré and I have learned several positive lessons from the health crisis. Our team has proven its ability to adapt through the transition to efficient remote work and the expansion of digital technology in all areas. This adaptation was made possible thanks to our prior preparation for transition and the support of a dedicated group of men and women. We are making every effort to maintain this momentum.

You just mentioned the expansion of digital technology in the agency. How is that going?

Our Digital Communication Department had already started to increase our digital capacities both in-house and for our clients’ projects. The crisis we have been experiencing since March 2020 simply accelerated the transformation that was already underway. We have worked very hard to digitise our business activities and processes at an accelerated pace. In the end, the most complicated aspect is handling uncertainties, especially when it comes to our event activities. On the other hand, we now master the skills needed to run a digital conference, which means we can assist our clients with their hybrid events.

Speaking of which, you are organising the Francophone Society of Geriatric Oncology (SOFOG) congress, the leading geriatric oncology event, from 1st-3rd December 2021 in Bordeaux. Can you tell us more about this event?

The SOFOG congress is a leading event in two areas due to its dual focus on oncology and geriatrics. It has an educational objective, with a focus on the latest developments in these disciplines, especially since they are both emerging sectors. We have been working with the SOFOG society for several years now. They are very involved in geriatrics, which takes on a different nature when it comes to elderly patients diagnosed with cancer. This explains the purpose of an event combining both themes and offering valuable insight for healthcare professionals.

In terms of logistics, we are planning a hybrid format for this congress. However, it is important to note that the digital format is not a band-aid solution to replace in-person events. It is a powerful, complementary channel for spreading information.

Our experience has shown that a hybrid format can open an event to new audiences. In the case of the SOFOG congress, it allows geriatric specialists to attend sessions related to their field without having to follow the entire congress, which includes talks on oncology that do not directly affect them. They can therefore choose their content “on demand”.

The digital format is an excellent approach for optimising the impact of the congress.

However, the event will still be held for 3 days at Cité Mondiale Convention Centre, in strict compliance with health guidelines. It will host participants from the medical profession who will be happy to be able to meet in-person.