In advance of MEDICA 2013, which will take place from November 20 – 23, 2013 in Düsseldorf, Germany, DOTmed Business News interviewed Joachim Schäefer, managing director of Messe Düsseldorf, the company behind MEDICA, the largest medical trade show of its kind, to get the latest updates.

DMBN: Please give us a brief background on how MEDICA got started?
JS: MEDICA started in Düsseldorf, Germany in 1969 with 135 exhibitors and around 4,700 visitors. As a congress accompanied by an exhibition, it primarily addressed laboratory physicians in Germany and was named “Diagnostics Week”. Since 1974, the event is called MEDICA.

DMBN: You’ve expressed the desire for a greater emphasis on Health IT at MEDICA. How will we see that play out this year?
JS: Consequently, the use of IT in the health care sector continues to progress. But the growth impulses are not based primarily on hospital information systems or administration software, but on the integration of IT in the most diverse application disciplines. It is the strength of MEDICA, that it does not address health IT by itself, but demonstrates the relevant links. Examples of this are solutions for computer-based microscopy and laboratory automation (in the field of laboratory technology), computer-based surgery or anesthesia and the interconnection of medical imaging (in the field of medical technology/electromedicine) as well as wireless solutions for real-time monitoring of patients and compact telemedicine applications for the remote use of medical practice and clinic (field of health IT).

With regard to the product developments in the field of medical technology, the "mega trends"— computerization, molecularization and miniaturization — which were identified for the future by a survey of experts by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as early as 2005, and confirmed time and again by the relevant industry associations, have not lost any of their strength in past years. They could be impressively seen at each MEDICA and will also characterize MEDICA 2013.

The current developments in the field of digital operating room integration are also particularly fascinating to observe. Where many different devices for imaging, intervention, monitoring of vital parameters or even the documentation and video transmission are being used, it is necessary to simplify the handling using standard and central control units and to optimally interconnect the devices. It is interesting to see efforts to replace proprietary interconnection interfaces, which restrict the combination of groups of devices in operating rooms in relation to manufacturer, with open "plug & play" standards. From the perspective of clinic operators, this would increase the flexibility and efficiency of the devices used. One noteworthy project is the "smartOR" collaborative project, which is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi).

DMBN: What’s the Congress program and how will you further develop it this year?
JS: Even though MEDICA looks back on a history of more than 40 years of successful events and takes place every year, MEDICA one year is never the same as MEDICA the following year. Product ranges in the trade fair and the accompanying congresses are continually revised and adapted to visitors' changing requirements. It is only in this way that the right target groups can be attracted for the exhibitors. Once again, for MEDICA 2013, numerous ideas will be put into action. For example, MEDICA's congress program is being repositioned. The further development of the congress program allows for a sharper subject profile, an even closer link to the MEDICA trade fair topics and the development of the international part of the program. This is why it has been renamed "MEDICA Conferences & Forums." The program focus areas have been defined by a panel consisting of renowned experts. With the title MEDICA EDUCATION CONFERENCE, courses with high levels of participation in previous years form the basis of the focal areas, for example, on general medical topics including practical courses using the devices. These courses also continue to be eligible for CME points needed to maintain certification. In addition, there are seminars on interdisciplinary topics including topics such as emergency, gender-specific and personalized medicine.

The English-language program components include a series of talks on current issues regarding individualized medicine, an international conference on disaster and military medicine, and a premium event for the international sports medicine specialist field. This conference will cover topics ranging from preventative approaches in sports medicine to therapeutic measures, taking into account the use of modern electromedical devices.

DMBN: Any other updates about the show that you would like to share?
JS: Along with MEDICA 2013, the MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE will be held for the first time at the Congress Center Düsseldorf on November 21. This conference, which is presented in English, is dedicated to the thematic intersection between sports and medicine built on the basis of three foundations, namely prevention, therapy (excluding surgery) and recovery. The lectures and discussions will present research findings, trends and technology from various perspectives. In addition to the preventive effect of sports on various illnesses, strategic improvement of training results while at the same time preventing injuries will be the main focus of the conference. Further topics will comprise measures to increase strength, as well as prevent surgical interventions, including the latest methods from the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

The 1st International Conference on Disaster and Military Medicine (DiMiMED) will also celebrate its premier during MEDICA 2013. Organized by the Beta Group under the auspices of the Medical Corps International Forum (MCIF), this conference targets experts from all over the world (about 50 high-ranking military medical and public health professionals and 40 industrial partners) from related scientific institutes, organizations and companies involved with emergency, disaster and military medicine, and medical devices.

DMBN: In what other ways are you trying to make the show more attractive to people outside of Germany and Europe?
JS: The updates of the conference program do not only appeal to international visitors from Europe, but are also certainly interesting for U.S. visitors from a thematic perspective. The forums that are integrated into the trade show must also be mentioned. For instance, the MEDICA TECH FORUM that started in 2011 and the MEDICA HEALTH IT FORUM both offer lectures, discussions, and exhibitor presentations held in English, covering topics that are relevant on a transnational level. Last year at the TECH FORUM, the lectures on the various procurement processes of clinics in Europe in comparison to the hospitals in the Arab world drew a lot of participants.

The MEDICA HEALTH IT FORUM continues to be influenced by the latest developments in the field of “Mobile Health”. The “AppCircus”, which was presented last year for the very first time, is going to be accompanied this year by the “mHealth Playground”. Meanwhile, in a sub-area of the MEDICA HEALTH IT FORUM, a number of devices are set up, offering various mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) for visitors to try out. The devices are going to be run on various platforms with preinstalled health applications, thus portraying the growing significance of medically orientated apps. All visitors are invited to try them out.

DMN: What do you expect turn out to look like this year?
JS: The 2012 MEDICA had 4,554 exhibitors from more than 60 nations. Based on the number of registrations for the 2013 MEDICA, we have already determined that we are going to reach a similar turnout once again. As was the case in the previous year, we expect around 130,000 trade visitors originating from around the world, from more than 100 nations.