MEDICA and COMPAMED will run over the course of four days in parallel to each other

Being a significant change, from 16 to 19 November Düsseldorf 2015, the world’s largest medical trade fair, MEDICA, and the international leading supplier specialist trade fair, COMPAMED, which is taking place at the same time, are going to start. From this year on, both events will run over the course of four days in parallel to each other, being held on the new weekdays from Monday to Thursdays. 

“Focusing on the normal working days of the week – instead of Wednesday to Saturday as has been the case up until now – will make it possible in the future to provide better guest distribution of the professional audience across the entire running time,” explained Joachim Schäfer, the managing director of Messe Düsseldorf. 

In November, once again, around 4,800 exhibitors from 70 nations will use the MEDICA in order to present the entire range of new products, services and processes for inpatient and outpatient care. No other event worldwide even offers close to this abundance of innovations. 

Being clearly structured according to hall, focuses of the MEDICA trade fair include: Electromedicine / medical technology (more than 2,500 exhibitors), laboratory technology / diagnostics, physiotherapy / orthopaedic technology, commodities and consumables, information and communication technology, medical furniture and specialist furnishings, and building technology for hospitals and doctors’ offices. 

In parallel to this, at the COMPAMED 2015 in halls 8a and 8b, more than 700 exhibitors are going to be presenting their technology solutions and services that suppliers from the medical technology industry have to offer. 

The networked patient 

Regardless of an overall high orientation for innovation, MEDICA exhibitors currently see themselves facing a market in the state of upheaval. In hospitals, investment decisions are primarily made by medical boards, in which, in addition to doctors, those responsible for commercial aspects also have a heavy say. The latest equipment is only in demand if it truly signifies optimum benefit for patients within the scope of the treatment process. In general, patients are assuming an increasingly active role. 

What started as mini-programs for smartphones and fitness armbands has developed into a mega-trend and will considerably shape treatment in the future, for example, following inpatient care at home. More and more physical data, which is becoming relevant on a medical level, can literally be collected, processed and transmitted in the twinkling of an eye. The number of medical apps is rising on an almost daily basis. Experts currently assume that there are around 55,000 such mini-programs. 

The trendsetter, MEDICA, with highlights within the supporting Programme 

Medical technology providers are taking up such trends. They will present an abundance of innovations to collect and further process various physical data in an uncomplicated manner – as an application for the doctors performing treatment or designed as a way to check vital data from the very beginning in the hands of the patient. Here, the MEDICA is also meeting the requirements of its role as a trendsetter. The MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM, which celebrated its highly prestigious premier during the previous year, is now going to be continued. The subject matter under focus will be the networking of various healthcare players as well as patients with related technology solutions (in hall 15). Thereby, mobile health applications form a primary focus, whereby, this year as well, the MEDICA App Competition will be providing exciting ideas with regard to helpful programs for mobile devices. 

The MEDICA HEALTH IT FORUM is also reflecting trend topics in the field of Heath IT (also in hall 15). Here, telemedicine is the primary focus. For example, the federal education and research minister, Professor Johanna Wanka will use this IT forum on the day of its grand opening to present the new promotional concept for the federal government’s medical data technology to a widespread audience of specialists. The objective of the development concept is to improve patient care and research possibilities by means of innovative IT systems. 

Other forums integrated into the MEDICA specialist trade fair include the MEDICA TECH FORUM (product innovations in the medical technology industry as well as political, economic and legal framework conditions for high-tech medicine / hall 12) as well as the MEDICA ECON FORUM (hall 15) initiated as a joint effort by Messe Düsseldorf and the "Techniker Krankenkasse" (TK), a German health insurance company, on issues of benefit assessment and financing innovations – from the perspective of patients and health insurance companies. 

Conferences closely associated with the trade fair 

Also this year again, the MEDICA EDUCATION CONFERENCE, which is organised by the German Society for Internal Medicine (DGIM), is offering a diverse programme. The four daily topics have been selected in such a way that they result in close integration with the trade fair’s medical technological innovations: Surgery and new operational techniques (16/11), imaging, endoscopy and interventions (17/11), geriatrics, nutritional medicine and palliative care (18/11) as well as infectiology, infection and laboratory medicine (19/11). 

With reference to the MEDICA conference programme, other highlights include the 38th German Hospital Conference, being a leading event for the management of German hospitals, and the European Hospital Conference, which is the meeting point of top decision-makers from European hospitals held every two years, promoting the exchange of information at an expert level. The top speaker at the grand opening of the German Hospital Day (16 November) is the federal health minister, Hermann Gröhe. 

The conference for disaster and military medicine, DiMiMED, as well as the MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE (respectively on 17 + 18 November 2015 / Congress Center Düsseldorf South), concerning prevention issues and sports medical treatment concepts must be noted. It has to do with conferences held in the English language that are geared for an international audience. 

For high-level representatives from military ranks, MEDICA exhibitors are, for example, offering an abundance of solutions for very special issues – ranging from equipment for emergency treatment, telemedicine applications for the secure transfer of data between vehicles, and military hospitals to a complete array of surgery equipment all the way to customised turnkey building modules. 

The same is true of the “bridge building” between the MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE and the innovations being presented as part of the trade fair. These include wearables and smartwatches for example. Those making a round in hall 15 at the MEDICA, for example, will be quite impressed by the numerous innovations for measuring vital data at the Wearable Technologies show. 

The MEDICA PHYSIO CONFERENCE organised by the Thieme Publishing House is also dedicated to trend topics. With presentations, it is directed toward physiotherapists, sports medicine specialists and orthopaedists and is taking place this year on 18 + 19 November / Congress Center Düsseldorf South). 

Together with the COMPAMED, taking place at the same time, the MEDICA is occupying the entire Düsseldorf fairground (19 halls). 

Dates and opening times: 16 – 19 November; 10 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

For more information, please visit MEDICA 2015