Adapting to a global pandemic through live virtual delivery of a cancer collaborative trial group conference: The TROG 2020 experience. Issue 3 (9th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McDowell, Lachlan; Goode, Susan; Sundaresan, Puma
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical imaging and radiation oncology. Volume 64:Issue 3(2020:Jun.)
• Page Start: 414
• Page End: 421
• Publication Date: 2020-05-09
• Subjects: COVID‐19 -- pandemics -- radiation oncologists -- radiation oncology -- workforce; Radiology, Medical -- Periodicals; Radiology, Medical -- Australasia -- Periodicals; 616.0757
• DOI: 10.1111/1754-9485.13047
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1754-9477

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: The global COVID‐19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the TROG 2020 face to face Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM). It was instead delivered as a live virtual meeting with 6 days of planning. Here, we report the participants' experience of this live virtual meeting. Method: Participants were invited to complete custom‐developed, pre‐ and post‐meeting surveys to assess their expectations of and satisfaction with the live virtual format. Speakers and moderators were also invited to complete a custom‐developed satisfaction survey. The working parties of TROG (head/neck/skin, genitourinary, breast and lung) were also sampled. Results: In total, 188/273 (69%) registered participants logged in to the live virtual meeting. The online engagement for each of the oral sessions ranged from 53 to 66%. There were 102 and 57 responders to the online pre‐ and post‐meeting surveys, respectively. The majority of pre‐meeting responders indicated a significant level of employer support to attend the virtual meeting. Post‐meeting satisfaction exceeded pre‐meeting expectations ('very much' and 'quite a bit'; 86% vs. 54%; P < 0.0001). The majority indicated they would be 'quite a bit' or 'very much' interested in future live virtual meetings. Conclusion: The TROG 2020 ASM was conducted as a live virtual meeting. Participant satisfaction and future interest in a live virtual meeting was high, indicating this is a viable platform for other CCTG's faced with the decision to deliver virtual content at times of global public health threats.