World’s Largest Medical Conference Underway in Germany

Thousands of healthcare professionals from all corners of the globe gathered in Germany on Nov. 16 for the start of the world’s largest medical trade fair, a gargantuan showcase of new technology, innovative products and services that organizers claim reflects the increasingly globalized nature of the medtech industry as well as its resilience to economic instability.

The four-day event, which runs through Nov. 19 in Düsseldorf, Germany, actually encompasses two distinct trade shows—Medica 2011 World Forum for Medicine (held Nov. 16-19) and Compamed 2011 (held Nov. 16-18), an exhibition geared for medical manufacturing suppliers. Combined, the two shows filled every exhibit hall of the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre and attracted a record crowd, with 4,571 exhibitors from 62 countries participating in Medica and 627 suppliers from 40 countries attending Compamed.

Three-quarters of Medica’s exhibitors hail from other countries, though German companies demanded the most exhibit floor space at the Centre (approximately 41,190 total square meters). Italian medical firms commanded the second-highest amount of exhibit floor space (about 11,126 total square meters), while Chinese manufacturers came in third with 6,726 total square meters. Rounding out the top 7 were U.S. companies (5,950 total square meters), United Kingdom firms (4,890 total square meters), French companies (4,457 total square meters) and those from the Netherlands (3,172 total square meters).

“These facts and figures not only reflect the highly international nature of Medica but also that of the market as a whole. It is characterized by a great degree of global exchange of goods and international competition between vendors. More than half of the medical devices, products, and instruments produced worldwide are made for export,” said Joachim Schäfer, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, highlighting Medica’s importance as a central international hub of supply and demand.

Organizers of both shows designed the event to provide attendees with a comprehensive display of products, systems and services ranging from laboratory technology and diagnostics to physiotherapy equipment and healthcare communication software. Medica officials linked technical applications, instruments and products in disease diagnosis and therapy with themed areas and forums such as the Medica Media Forum, Medica Tech Forum (state-of-the-art diagnostics presented from a doctor’s point of view and innovations in medical technology in practical use), Medica Vision (a presentation of research institutions) and the Medica Physio Forum (a presentation of physiotherapy applications). This year, organizers added the Medica Wound Forum to provide attendees with the latest data and new approaches to treating chronic wounds. The Wound Forum is being held on each day of the trade fair.

Compamed is hosting its own forums, with lectures organized by a European trade magazine and IVAM, a professional association for microtechnology.

Besides the forums, Medica also features a training program that traditionally attracts several thousand participants each year and the 34th German Hospital Conference, which organizers call the “largest platform for German hospital managers.” This year, Medica administrators added the European Hospital Conference, an event designed for top decision-makers from European hospitals. The new conference will solicit input on the European hospital industry from the European Hospital and Healthcare Federation, the European Association of Hospital Managers and the European Association of Senior Hospital Physicians.

Mobility IT—A Wealth of New Products
One of the dozens of new products presented by Medica exhibitors this year are computer software and hardware solutions, or a category that healthcare professionals like to call “mobility IT.” An increasing number of doctors are ditching their spiral notebooks or clipboards for smartphones or computer tablets that connect to hospital information systems and electronic medical records using a wireless link. Many of the medical applications accessible via smartphone or tablet can be accessed by patients themselves, enabling them to measure their own blood sugar levels, blood pressure or body temperature.

Innovative medical software also is revolutionizing the operating room, creating systems for centralized touch-screen control that allow an integrated image and video documentation to be controlled with ease by surgeons.

Other innovations presented at Medica include a respirator that shows lung ventilation, enabling doctors to fine-tune the device settings to more precisely suit individual patients. This new innovation also is among the nominations for the new Medica Excellence Award, which will be presented in a number of different categories for innovative solutions aimed at improving the performance of a hospital or medical care center. The award ceremony will take place during a dinner on Nov. 17 at the Congress Center Düsseldorf.