NOVEMBER 3-4
Introduction
One way to measure the success of our conferences is through attendee feedback. We gather feedback through surveys and evaluations, which help us understand what attendees found valuable and what they would like to see improved.
This information is then used to shape future conferences, ensuring that we are meeting the needs and expectations of our attendees. Another measure of success is the number of attendees and the diversity of their backgrounds. We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment that attracts a diverse group of people from various industries and backgrounds. Finally, we measure success by the impact our conferences have on the community.
We hope that our events inspire attendees to take action and make a positive difference in their communities and industries. As the CLF continues to grow, we will continue to evaluate and improve our conferences to ensure their success and impact.
Event Overview
The 2023 National Lymphedema Conference was an in-person event, held at the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel, from November 3 - 4.
This year’s conference was developed around the theme of “Moving Forward Together.” As this was the first in-person national event following a worldwide pandemic, it was important for our Organizing Committee to create a program that was diverse for our intended attendee demographics. Our attendees included healthcare professionals, whether they are experienced in lymphedema care or are interested in specializing, researchers, and patients.
Purpose
The purpose of our national lymphedema conferences stems from our mission to improve the management of lymphedema and related disorders in Canada and contribute to the global advancement of lymphedema care. By bringing experts together, we know that the knowledge and insights gained are invaluable to the daily practice of healthcare professionals, researchers, and patients. Our goals and objectives that were met for the 2023 National Lymphedema Conference included:
Over 300 registrants
Develop a diverse program
Create interactive learning opportunities for those who have newly been diagnosed
Strengthen relationships with partner organizations and create opportunity for our industry partners
Introduce “new” topics to conversations surrounding lymphedema (e.g. sexuality, garment fitters forum, patient-to-patient advice, patient registry, foot care and lower extremity assessment, surgeons’ meeting, new obesity management and health behaviour change perspectives).
Survey Results Breakdown
The Post-Conference Survey is a sample of 84 responses consisting of 8 questions focusing on the engagement and informativeness of keynote speakers, the value of breakout sessions, event organization and logistics, event challenges, overall conference quality, future event attendance, and any suggestions for future CLF national lymphedema conferences.
All data sets will be evaluated overall, and further broken down into 5 subgroups: healthcare professionals, patients, sponsors and exhibitors, volunteers, and not specified. Questions will either be short answer or a rating scale from 1 to 10 or 1 to 5.
Sliding Scale 1 - 10
8.0 >, Highly Favourable
6.0 - 7.9, Favourable
5.0 - 5.9, Satisfactory
4.9 <, Not Favourable
Sliding Scale 1 - 5
4.0 >, Highly Favourable
3.0 - 3.9, Favourable
2.0 - 2.9, Satisfactory
1.9 <, Not Favourable
Survey Registration Type
Question 1: I registered as a:
The majority of our survey respondents are healthcare professionals, which correlates with the fact that they were the largest registered and attendee demographic at the event. Followed by Patients, Sponsor/Exhibitor, and Volunteer.
The following subgroups have been combined under Healthcare Professional: Healthcare Professional, Speaker, CLF Board Member, Board Member, Scientific Co-Chair, and Custom Fitter.
Only 1 respondent did not specify which category they registered under.
Total Event Registration Type
Below provides a reference to the total number of each registration type under the categories of Healthcare Professional, Patient, and Sponsor and Exhibitor, and Volunteer.
41.3% of healthcare professionals, 14.6% of patients, 7.2% of sponsors and exhibitors and 25% of volunteers participated in this survey.
Keynote Speakers
Question 2: Did you find the keynote speakers to be engaging and informative?
1 - Not at all engaging or informative, 10 - Extremely engaging and informative
84 (100%) respondents rated the keynote speakers engagement and informativeness 5 or above.
Keynote Speaker Engagement and Informativity Rating
On average, healthcare professionals rated our 2023 keynote speakers 9.2/10, patients 8.7/10, and sponsors and exhibitors 7.7/10. The volunteer and not specified respondent rated a 9/10.
Combining data from all attendees, the overall, total average for Keynote Speaker Engagement and Informativeness is highly favourable at 9.1 out of 10. 9.1
Breakout Sessions
Question 3: Were the breakout sessions relevant and useful to you? 1 - Not at all relevant and useful, 10 - Extremely relevant and useful
81 (96.4%) respondents rated the breakout sessions relevancy and usefulness a 5 and above. 3 (3.6%) respondents, who are healthcare professionals, rated the breakout sessions below 5.
The lower rating respondents mentioned the need for more hands-on training workshops and breakout sessions.
On average, healthcare professionals rated our breakout sessions 8.6/10, patients 8.3/10, and sponsor and exhibitors 7.5/10. The volunteer and not specified respondent rated a 9/10.
Combining data from all attendees, the overall, total average for Breakout Sessions Relevancy and Usefulness is highly favourable at 8.5 out of 10.
Logistics and Organization
Question 4: How would you rate the organization and logistics of the conference (e.g., registration, venue, accommodations)?
1 - Needs improvement, 10 - Excellent
81 (96.4%) respondents rated logistics and organization 5 and above. 3 (3.6%) of respondents, including 2 healthcare professionals and 1 sponsor and exhibitor rated the keynote presentations less than 5.
Lower rating respondents felt that the hotel venue was too pricey for food and drinks and that the exhibit hall was small with vendors stationed too close to each other.
On average, healthcare professionals rated logistics and organization 9.0/10, patients 9.1/10, and sponsor and exhibitors 7.7/10. The volunteer respondent rated a 9/10 and the not specified respondent rated a 10/10.
Combining data from all attendees, the overall, total average for logistics and organization Relevancy is highly favourable at 8.9 out of 10.
Conference Support
Question 5: Did you have any issues or challenges during the conference that were not addressed? (If no, please write, "no" below. If your answer is yes, please expand on this below.)
65 (77.4%) of respondents were satisfied with the conference and did not experience any issues or challenges that were not addressed.
19 (22.6%) of respondents were not completely satisfied.
Key takeaways from those who responded “yes” were categorized into subgroups: venue, food and beverages, program and presentations, and staff and volunteers.
Venue
Some respondents commented on the venue, stating that the hotel was too small for the event, especially within the Exhibit Hall. In addition, they struggled with the temperature regulation, where conference spaces were
either too hot or too cold. Lastly, these attendees found that there wasn’t enough parking and were confused about the payment process.
Food and Beverage
Some attendees did not feel that there was enough water provided throughout the venue or enough menu options for vegans and vegetarians. Also, it was mentioned that refreshments ran out quickly, especially on Friday.
Schedule and Presentations
Respondents felt that they weren’t able to attend all desired sessions due to scheduling conflicts and did not feel as if they were provided a sufficient amount of time to view the Poster Hall or Exhibit Hall between sessions. They also said that sessions lacked reference lists from the presenters and were disappointed in some cases that they did not have the opportunity to access the presenters’ slides or notes post-presentation.
Staff and Volunteers
Some of our event volunteers felt not well-prepared on the registration desk. They had some challenges assisting with important information for delegates, i.e. the vendors game and how it worked, revised parking instructions, and pre-registration session information.
Overal Conference Quality
Question 6: How would you rate the overall quality of the conference? 1 - Did not meet my expectations, 10 - Exceeded my expectations
82 (97.6%) respondents rated conference quality 5 and above. 2 (2.4%) of respondents, including 1 healthcare professional and 1 sponsor and exhibitor rated the keynote presentations less than 5.
Lower rating respondents felt that the hotel venue was too small and that the program was lacking in hands-on training type of breakout sessions.
On average, healthcare professionals rated the overall quality of the conference 9.0/10, patients 9.3/10, and sponsors and exhibitors 7.8/10. The volunteer and not specified respondent rated a 9/10.
Combining data from all attendees, the overall, total average for overall conference quality is highly favourable at 9.0 out of 10.
Future Attendance
Question 7: How likely are you to attend this conference again in the future?
1 - Not likely at all, 5 - Extremely likely
81 (96.4%) respondents rated their likelihood to attend this conference in the future 3 and above. 3 (3.6%) of respondents, all healthcare professionals rated the keynote presentations less than 3.
Respondents who gave a lower rating felt that the conference was more focused on weight management than lymphedema, and felt that they lymphedema-specific presentations were more like overviews, as opposed to answering the “why“ behind these topics.
On average, healthcare professionals rated the overall quality of the conference 4.6/5, patients 4.7/5, and sponsors and exhibitors 4.6/5. The volunteer and not specified respondent rated a 5/5.
Combining data from all attendees, the overall, total average for overall conference quality is highly favourable at 4.6 out of 5.
Suggestions
Question 8: Do you have any suggestions for improving the conference? Please feel free to provide any feedback you wish to share in this space. If you would like us to respond or get in touch, please provide your name and email address.
Key takeaways from respondents have been divided into four categories: venue, food and beverage, schedule and presentations, and other. The values provided are based on how many times these topics were mentioned in all of the reviews.
Venue
32.1% of responses highlighted the need for an alternative venue that is larger, and a location to be more central within a city centre.
Food and Beverage
29.9% of responses mentioned things like the need for healthier snack options, a menu to accommodate more vegan and vegetarian dietary needs, the addition of a breakfast, more tea and coffee, and overall more food included in the event.
Schedule and Presentations
Popularity of Topics for Suggestions
31.6% of responses commented on improvements to scheduling conflicts, access to resources post-conference, and allotting more time between sessions. In addition, attendees would like to see more sessions for patients, hands-on workshops and post-conference clinical sessions for healthcare professionals.
Other
6.4% of responses made suggestions about incorporating environmental practices to reduce the amount of waste and paper.
Unique Perspectives
Some additional suggestions involve the implementation of French translations and resources, more fitter-focused sessions, more detailed descriptions of breakout sessions, and the inclusion of a provincial association presentation. Others found the conference to place a greater focus on weight-management and obesity than lymphedema.
Conclusion
The survey results indicate that the conference was a resounding success. Although the overall conference venue space and budget were challenged with some limitations, attendees expressed high levels of satisfaction with various aspects of the event, including keynote speakers, breakout sessions, program, support, and overall conference quality, with 96.4% of respondents indicating a desire to return in the future.
Venue limitations meant capping the number of exhibition participants as well as the amount of space available for exhibits. Financial limitations meant excluding a full breakfast offering from the registration fee, and having to exclude the audio visual and technical costs to support recordings and virtual attendees. Feedback surrounding these concerns was anticipated and has been thoroughly outlined in this report.
At the CLF, we value the feedback received in this report and remain committed to organizing events that lead to the satisfaction of all attendees. The Organizing Committee eagerly anticipates incorporating the valuable suggestions and recommendations provided by our respondents to shape the 2025 International Lymphoedema Conference in collaboration with the ILF.
What We Did Well
The CLF received consistent commendations for featuring Dr. Denise CampbellScherer's discussion on obesity and Dr. Celine Koryzma's talk on the correlation between chronic diseases and mental health.
Attendees expressed satisfaction with the event's overall organization. A majority of the responses appreciated the diversity in topics covered and considered the breakout sessions valuable for obtaining practical tools to incorporate into healthcare practices.
Improvements and Recommendations
To increase the number of attendees and revenue, we recommend hosting the 2025 Conference in a more spacious venue that can comfortably accommodate more attendees and exhibitors. Furthermore, selecting a central location within the city center can improve accessibility and attract more registrations for the conference.
Based on the feedback we received from respondents, we need to address the increasing demand for vegan and vegetarian options, a greater variety of healthier snacks, and an overall increase in the quantity of food available. Additionally, providing breakfast on both days, or at least for the morning when the Exhibit Hall opens early, is important to our attendees. Respondents also emphasized the need for water stations in every hallway and presentation room.
While our diverse range of sessions received considerable acclaim, some attendees struggled with the selection process, and some were disappointed to learn that no resources or recordings of missed presentations were available post-event.
Incorporating a virtual attendance option for the conference, in addition to virtual access to presentations, post-conference, could be highly advantageous. Many respondents indicated a desire for review and reflection following the conference, and for utilizing the information they've learned for incorporation into clinical or self-care practices. The addition of access to materials and/or recordings following the conference could enhance the overall value of the conference experience, and increase registrations, awareness, and financial success.
Unique Perspectives: Improvements and Recommendations
We received some unique suggestions to consider. A couple of responses pointed out the absence of provincial representation. They suggested incorporating a presentation from all the existing provincial associations, highlighting their collaborations with CLF as a valuable resource for patients. This feedback presents a valid consideration for future national events. One potential solution could be creating a video similar to our "CLF Accomplishments" video showcasing the different associations and their achievements, followed by a meet and greet for all the associations who could attend in person. This way, we can recognize all associations regardless of their physical presence.
There were a small number of requests for French-translated materials. Given that we represent a country that is officially bilingual, such requests are reasonable. Regrettably, we were unable to translate materials to French due to constraints in time and resources. To improve accessibility, we can request that all presenters and exhibitors provide materials in both English and French. Also, if we incorporate a virtual platform in our next event, it would be an excellent opportunity to offer real-time translations of speaker presentations.
Due to the fact that we did not use a virtual platform to present our event, we also did not have a digital home to house handouts for our delegate welcome bags, sponsors and exhibitors supplied printed materials and physical samples. While many respondents expressed that they enjoyed receiving their delegate welcome bag and appreciated its contents, a few commented on the future use of more environmentally conscious practices, reducing the amount of paper and waste. This can include virtual delegate bag inserts, conference programs, and session materials and resources.