The month of October was marked by the successive hosting of four medical and scientific conferences of national and international scope. Congresses that have chosen Bordeaux as the venue for their key meetings, such as the 19th edition of Echo Cardio Bordeaux. Professor Stéphane Lafitte, Chairman of the Organising Committee and member of the Scientific Committee, takes us through it all.
The ECHO CARDIO conference was held at the Palais des Congrès in Bordeaux from 9 to 11 October. What theme did it explore?
Echo Cardio meets a need for training in the field of echocardiography, the equivalent of a cardiologist's stethoscope, the tool he or she uses every day to treat patients. The indications for echocardiography are evolving rapidly, and the technique requires ongoing training. This is the context for the congress in Bordeaux, which is held every two years and has a national dimension, bringing together more than 1,100 doctors and paramedics. Over the course of three days, we'll be looking at three major subjects that cardiologists deal with most frequently: myocardial ischaemia, heart valve disease and heart failure.
How does this event encourage advances in echocardiography and changes in professional practice?
All participants benefit from presentations by leading cardiology experts. At the same time, Echo Cardio gives manufacturers the opportunity to give demonstrations to professionals, in order to promote the innovations specific to our sector and keep them informed. The event is also conducive to human interaction, both over lunch and during the breaks, the time between sessions that we believe is vital for forging links and fostering the discussions that anchor knowledge and sharing.
How did the Palais des Congrès de Bordeaux meet Echo Cardio Bordeaux's expectations?
The Palais des Congrès de Bordeaux has created an environment that is conducive to interconnections, by providing modular spaces that meet all our needs. Auditorium A, which can accommodate over 1,200 people, is perfectly suited to our conference programme. I'm also thinking of the Espace Pluriel, which we've divided into several areas, one of which is devoted to an exhibition zone occupied by some twenty industrial partners. It's worth noting that Echo Cardio also presents us with a major challenge: getting participants to lunch every day at 1pm! A challenge made possible by the flexibility of this space. Every lunchtime, 800 covers are served on tables of 10 to 12 people, which is extremely effective for forging links, but also for keeping your audience! The site also gives us the benefit of top-level, perfectly mastered technology, such as the direct transmission videos from the cardiology hospital or the use of the entire screen available, with its impressive projection surface offering a rare visual effect.
