Case Study: Society for Simulation in Europe (SESAM)

European by name, global by nature

With the vision for improved healthcare through simulation, SESAM is a European association attracting increasingly global attention.

As well as a celebration of the Association’s 30^th anniversary, the 2024 Annual Meeting of SESAM coincided with a transformative point for the society as it evolved from a group of colleagues to a professional organisation with an Executive Committee focused on the sustainability of the society.

Having forged strategic relationships with fellow simulation associations and networks, the Meeting also presented the ideal forum to promote the recently published Global Consensus Statement on Simulation-based practice in healthcare, an initiative jointly instigated by SESAM.

Worldspan provides full Association Management, Secretariat and PCO services to SESAM.

SESAM’s most successful Meeting to date

Reflecting increased interest in SESAM internationally, the 2024 Meeting saw an increase in abstract submissions of 12% which translated into a 23% increase in delegates and over 1,300 attendees overall.

Over 200 hours of content was delivered in 16 parallel sessions, from keynote sessions to workshops; and the increasingly popular finals of the interprofessional competition, Sim Uni.

Welcoming new attendees

With almost half the attendees experiencing their first SESAM Annual Meeting, it was important to provide a non-threatening, friendly environment for them to network with peers and more experienced members of the community. The innovative SESAM Speed Connect facilitated networking between first-time attendees and long-standing members.

Legacy

Local healthcare students and trainee doctors with an interest in simulation were recruited to a volunteer taskforce. By offering them morning or afternoon shifts, the taskforce benefitted from spending the rest of the day experiencing the Meeting as delegates, hopefully encouraging them to attend future events.

Comms and Marketing

Social media played a great role, both before and during the Meeting. The Twitter feed in plenary meant delegates could see their posts on the screen, and the hashtag #SESAM2024 was the highest trending in Czechia.

A highlight for delegates and exhibitors was the event app which provided an effective tool for networking as well as receiving programme updates, contributing to significantly increased attendance at promoted industry sessions, an improvement appreciated by all industry partners.

Delegate feedback has been hugely positive:

• 98% would recommend the Meeting to a friend or colleague
• 96% considered the event useful for their professional activity
• 96% said the information they learnt would be implemented in their practice

Industry

The 2024 Annual Meeting was particularly praised by industry partners.

Prague was a great venue evident by the number of delegates. … overall, we were satisfied with the show

Thank you so much for the great and excellent Worldspan team … you are all so kind, generous, friendly, warm and professional.

Client testimonial

Kirsty J Freeman, Secretary SESAM said:

“The SESAM Annual Meeting in Prague, organised in collaboration with our exceptional PCO Worldspan, truly exemplified excellence on an international scale … The seamless coordination and innovative approach by Worldspan helped us create a world-leading event that set new benchmarks in healthcare simulation conferences. Their dedication and expertise were pivotal in our success”