From 7-11th September 2013, Barcelona played host to the 23rd annual European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress. A key event for pulmonologists, respiratory therapist and nurses, this year’s event attracted some 20,000 delegates, creating a vibrant atmosphere conducive to sharing and learning.

Invacare was present at the Congress for the 8th year running, showcasing an elegant booth, and organizing three clinical education seminars including a practical workshop and an evening Symposium, which were fully booked. Invacare respiratory specialists from across Europe were on hand to advise visiting delegates and dealers, many of whom also attended the Invacare activities.

The first day of the Congress saw Invacare take centre stage with a practical workshop, Clinical challenges in Ambulatory Oxygen, that proved so popular with delegates that some attendees had to be turned away at the door.

Part of the workshop’s attraction was the key speakers, including Chairman Prof. Antoine Cuvelier (France), who presented on Patient Selection in Ambulatory Oxygen (AO) together with Prof. Robert Chatburn (USA) discussing Technical aspects in Ambulatory Oxygen. Jenny Turnbull and Lynn McDonnel (UK) shared their experience in Clinical Challenges in AO. Finally, the session concluded with a hands-on workshop on ambulatory oxygen systems. The event was warmly received, notably for its practical approach and solid statistics supporting the findings. 

On the second day, Invacare hosted an Evening Symposium led by an international panel of speakers, who presented to a packed audience. The theme of the Symposium, Ambulatory Oxygen for COPD Patients was followed by other topics including Advances in Ambulatory Oxygen from Prof. Jean-Francois Muir (France), Relevance of Pulse Dose in Ambulatory Oxygen from Prof. Robert Chatburn (USA), and Patient-Focused Ambulatory Oxygen Devices, presented by Phyllis Murphie (UK). The session wrapped up with a presentation - Clinical Evidence on Portable Oxygen Concentrators by Dr. Dan Veale (France).

Invacare VP Category Management Respiratory Care, Steve Lam stated: “Invacare is extremely happy with the high attendance of its Clinical Symposium and Workshop at ERS. We invited well-known experts and researchers in order to cover a range of rich and interesting topics. Based on the positive comments we received, we are very pleased that our audience found the sessions informative and beneficial."

Invacare was also happy to welcome a lucky customer who had won a free pass to the ERS Congress and Symposium thanks to an online contest hosted by Invacare Spain.

With a solid platform from which to build on this year’s success, Invacare looks forward to attending next year’s ERS Annual Congress in Munich, 2014.