The decline of AAOS: Why device companies are abandoning big conferences.
The big conferences are experiencing a gradual decline in several key aspects. This trend can be attributed to a series of changes and adaptations within the industry, particularly post-COVID.
Key Observations:
Decrease in Surgeon Participation: There is a noticeable reduction in the number of surgeons actively participating in these conferences.
Shift to Smaller Booths: Major industry players are increasingly opting for smaller booth spaces at these events.
Emergence of Open Floor Space: Open floor spaces have made an appearance for the first time in the history of these conferences.
Reduced Sales Activities: There has been a decline in sales activities taking place at these conferences. Lead generation is dead.
Diminished Company-Surgeon Relationships: Companies and surgeons are spending less time fostering relationships within the conference booths.
Surgeon Information Channels: Surgeons are seeking product information through alternative means, moving away from traditional conference-based information sharing. Younger surgeons are leaning into digital med-tech commercialization.
Surgeons cannot commit: But the main reason why the big meetings are diminishing is time out of the practice. Aside from the hospital employed surgeon, the large group partner has a financial nut to hit every period , with lower reimbursements and ever rising overhead costs it’s not a wonder why AAOS and NASS attendance is down. AAOS has changed to a Tues through Thurs event, not a great schedule for busy physicians.
As we move forward, it’s possible that these large conferences may return to their initial core objectives, focusing on surgeon education, facilitating alumni gatherings, and fostering surgeon-to-surgeon relationships. These fundamental functions could regain prominence as the industry adapts to new dynamics and priorities.
AAOS has turned into a waste of time and money for a small company like ours. When we first went there we would get 20-30 good leads. The last time we had a booth at AAOS we got almost none. The doc foot traffic was pitiful. The ones that did come by were hospital employees don’t have purchasing authority. The docs at the busy surgery centers who can buy stuff don’t come to the meeting. AOSSM in DC was a waste of time and money from those who I heard from that went there. The lecture hall was across the street from the exhibits and the booth traffic was non-existent. Meetings like OSET and Shoulder 360 have taken over. Both don’t have docs distracted by association and society meetings and housekeeping, and they are not so bound up by anti-commercial association rules. AAOS is a good business development meeting where you can make a lot of industry contacts in one place. But for selling its not a great investment. The meeting organizers are not doing much to address this that I can see.”
Perspective from an MD (written by a spine surgeon in Fort Lauderdale on LinkedIn – Jahangir ‘John’ Asghar, MD )
There are too many damn meetings…. To piggy back off a Tiger Buford post on NASS and societal meetings
I love attending meetings because of the opportunity to see friends, engage colleagues and learn….
As a participant, I hate many of the meetings today because they are diluted, agenda driven events where the same messages are pushed over and over. Sometimes driven by industry influences and others by the leadership. After you have been to a couple you start to hear the same talks over and over again. The presentation with question answers aspect of traditional meetings limits interaction and engagement. it also limits diversity of thought
My current approach is that I basically read all the abstracts… find the 3-4 interesting topics and attend those. Otherwise I am roaming the halls engaging friends or colleagues. And attend a couple of planned business meetings.
Honestly, I learn very little from the meetings but more from my direct interactions. I get exposed to more technology through social media platforms, you tube videos. To be clear this too, has significant issues with it.
After Covid, the value add for both the participants and likely the sponsors has become progressively limited. I do believe that model will have to evolve.
At the same time there are smaller meetings that are amazing with highly interactive content. Here I will plug BroadWater, LLC and Jeremy Longhurst(my disclosure: he is someone I admire and consider a close friend. Broadwater is very innovative in the educational meeting space).
The problem is that a large portion of the soceital revenue is often based on sponsorship of meetings that I don’t expect them to go away…. But it would nice for the models to change and be more interactive and innovative
