For healthcare marketers, fall conferences feel like both a marathon and a reunion. The sessions inspire, the exhibit halls overflow with interesting companies, and the after-hours events are where connections happen that can’t happen anywhere else. The real question: which conferences deserve your time and what should you bring with you to survive them? Brittany and I talk about it.

This year, I’m especially excited for the user conferences on the schedule: NextGen, Oracle Health Summit, eClinicalWorks, and Charm Health among them. I enjoy user conferences because they are an opportunity to hear candid feedback from users, speak to company leaders, and get a first look at new features.

I’m also excited for SHSMD25, HCIC2025, HLTH2025, OntarioMD Educates 2025, and RSNA25. These large industry events are a great way to see what is trending, what challenges are popping up, and what new solutions are being talked about. RSNA holds a special place because it is one of the largest hands-on shows I get to attend, and it is usually the final event before the winter hiatus.

To make it through this gauntlet of conferences, a survival kit is absolutely necessary. What’s in our kits?

Brittany swears by protein bars, sneakers, and lip balm (because long days mean both feet and lips need saving). I never travel without my trusty flexible roll-up bottle (it rolls up and weighs almost nothing when empty, yet holds just as much as a metal one), protein bars, first-aid kit, pen, clothing you can layer, battery chargers, and carabiners.

When I was still on the vendor side, I would make sure to always carry something small to give away when I bumped into someone – branded sticky notes, pens, or a cool tchotchke.

This fall, we’re showing up with sneakers laced, protein bars stashed, and a packed calendar of can’t-miss events. If you spot us at one of these conferences, don’t just wave from across the exhibit hall, stop and say hello. The gear keeps us moving, but it’s the conversations with members of the Swaay.Health Community that make the conference unforgettable.