The entire value chain of medical care, product development and manufacture in focus at one location
The medical technology market is in worldwide motion and the signs ahead of MEDICA 2023 and COMPAMED 2023 in Düsseldorf as the internationally leading trade fairs for the medical technology industry and related suppliers (trade fair 13–16 November) could hardly be more exciting. The prices for energy, raw materials, services and many goods are rising. At the same time, health care budgets especially in the publicly financed health sectors of many countries continue to be strongly limited. And yet, investments in new procedures, for example within the field of Artificial Intelligence, seem lucrative due to in part remarkable leaps in technology. “In the face of these limiting conditions, business relations are being reconsidered and negotiated anew. Therefore it is important for everyone with something to say or decide in the health business to keep current. MEDICA and COMPAMED will once again offer the best options for professional dialogue, good business and increased networking”, says Christian Grosser, Director Health & Medical Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf, with an enthusiastic view towards both events.
In mid-November, a total of more than 5,000 exhibiting companies (700 of whom at COMPAMED) will showcase the entire value chain of medical and medical technological products with their innovations – including all steps from product development, manufacture and after sales services.
From increased out-patient treatment to AI to sustainability
Visitors from all sectors of the health business have ample subjects for discussion, based on the defining trends which currently characterise the market and its dynamics. One example is the growing “out-patientisation” of care. This sets the focus on products and services for the so-called “point-of-care”, that is on patient-oriented diagnostics and treatment, but also on telemedical applications for optimal, cross-sector networking among all people involved in the care process. Also trending right now are solutions based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and supporting systems, for example robotic systems or VR/AR applications (“Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality”). The implementation of sustainable processes is a goal that by now has become one of the highest priorities in companies and institutions across all sectors of industry—including the health sector. This includes a holistic view of economic processes to maintain a lasting ability to compete, without a negative social or environmental impact. All parts of the supply and value chain are evaluated closely for their potential for optimisation.
“True to their leading motif ‘Where healthcare is going’, MEDICA and COMPAMED will incorporate these dominating developments on the market and provide thematically appropriate points of focus in their programmes and in the many presentations by our exhibiting customers. Valuable contributions to this goal will be made by the numerous professional forums and accompanying conferences while the trade fair is happening, and through the talk format MEDICA DEEP DIVE during the time before the event.” says Christian Grosser, and promises answers and approaches to solutions relevant to all types of questions driving the industry.
Five worlds of experience and a fascinating live programme
The MEDICA professional trade fair determines its areas of focus through five worlds of experience. These cover the enormous range of more than 10,000 company innovations concerning: Lab technology and diagnostics, medical technology and electromedicine, commodities and consumables, physiotherapy and orthopaedic technology as well as IT systems and IT solutions.
The forums integrated into the worlds of experience add a varied programme on stage to the happenings at the trade fair, and picture a diverse agenda featuring short lectures, discussions, pitches and best practices relevant to the use of products. Among others, mention must be made of the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM (digital networking, including the MEDICA Start-up COMPETITION and the Healthcare Innovation World Cup), the MEDICA HEALTH IT FORUM (IT issues), the MEDICA TECH FORUM (medical technology trends) or the MEDICA LABMED FORUM (innovations in laboratory medicine.)
Among the further highlights of the programme of MEDICA 2023 are the 46th German Hospital Day (this time at CCD Süd) for the top managers of German clinics, and the conferences DiMiMED and MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE held in the English language (both also at CCD Süd). These conferences will gather together experts in the fields of military and disaster medicine and in sports medicine and science at the venue in Düsseldorf.
Suppliers area in “high performance mode”
If you want to see for yourself what medical technology industry suppliers are capable of, the best option is COMPAMED 2023 in the trade fair Halls 8a and 8b. The exhibiting companies there will present (also five) worlds of experience including a wide range of high tech and service solutions. The five worlds of experience are: Manufacturing & Devices (e.g., components, parts, manufacturing processes), Services & Advice (e.g., research, development, services), Materials (e.g., plastics, glass, ceramics, metals, composite materials, adhesives, packaging), Micro Tech (such as micro components, microfluidics) as well as IT in Tech (software development and maintenance for medical technology).
In their programme sessions, the COMPAMED HIGH-TECH FORUM by IVAM and the COMPAMED SUPPLIERS FORUM follow important industry and technological trends and offer practical information concerning new procedures, products and relevant aspects of work on international markets. The future handling of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) should be among the hottest topics for debate – also at the MEDICA TECH FORUM. The reason for this is that possible restrictions, not to mention a ban of PFAS at EU level, would have definite consequences for the development, manufacture and applications of medical technology products. PFAS are being used in these areas, for example, in coatings or in components for electrical surgery.
In the year before, the MEDICA and the COMPAMED recorded a total of 81,000 visitors. (2021: 46,000) with an international share of 75 percent.
The industry portals MEDICA.de and COMPAMED.de also offer a wealth of digital services for preparing and planning an effective stay at the location (e.g., interactive floor plans), for networking with companies and comprehensive reporting on events throughout the duration.
