Does Your Continued Medical Education Conference Need an App?

You can find smartphones in the pockets of approximately 80 percent of medical professionals, according to MobiHealth News. These devices can act as a valuable resource for your continued medical education conference if you have an app available for your attendees.

[RELATED: Here's everything you need to know to increase attendance at your next medical conference!]

The Benefits of a CME Conference App

Events in many industries offer companion applications to enhance the overall experience. While the functionality varies with each application, there are a few universal benefits you gain when you put this asset in place.

Easily Accessible Schedule

Paper schedules can be torn, crumpled up, thrown away or misplaced, and the printing costs also take a sizeable portion of your CME conference budget. A mobile app gives attendees a paperless version of the schedule that's always on hand. You can even add a feature for a custom schedule for each medical professional.

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Engagement and Communication Channel

Social media integration, surveys and direct communication to your CME conference team can build engagement with attendees. You can gain valuable feedback, grow relationships with medical professionals and increase your social media presence.

Real-Time Updates on Any Conference Changes

Is an instructor sick or did the venue have technical difficulties with one of your meeting rooms? You can't control when something disrupts your conference, but you can make it easier to inform attendees about the issue. The only thing you need to do with a mobile app is update the event schedule to reflect the latest changes.

Access to Useful CME Resources

Encourage health professionals to use your CME event app by including valuable resources relevant to their needs. These assets give you the opportunity to connect with attendees before, during and after your event.

Improved Attendee Satisfaction

Mobile applications act as a constant companion for CME conference attendees. They answer questions, direct medical professionals to the right rooms, provide schedules and connect them with event staff. Participant satisfaction goes up when everything runs smoothly; plus, participants have a way to reach you if they encounter a problem.

Reasons Why You Shouldn't Use an App

Your CME conference gains many benefits from a mobile app, but that doesn't mean it's always the right choice for your event. You might encounter a few situations where you would detract from the attendee experience if you implemented an application.

You Lack the Resources to Create a Quality App

Mobile application development costs vary depending on the type of app you want, the features you desire and whether you're branding an existing application framework. If you don't have the time, money or resources to create a high-quality application, you run the risk of decreasing attendee satisfaction through a buggy app. Evaluate whether you can create an app that's worth putting on medical professionals' phones before you start on development.

Your Average Attendee Does Not Prefer Mobile Technology

While most health professionals use mobile devices, not all of them feel at home with an app. The demographics most likely to use CME event apps include younger people and women. If most of your attendees are men over 60, you may face lower adoption rates than anticipated. You can still develop an app if you prefer, but you should remember to focus on user-friendliness.

Continued medical education conferences can gain a lot from a mobile app. Look into your options during your next CME planning phase, and map out whether this approach is right for your conference.