Excerpt
The last 20 years have seen extensive growth in a form of medical communication, that may be termed “hotel-based medicine.” Pharmaceutical companies, professional societies, and other organizations organize small and large conferences, continuing medical education (CME) programs, promotional dinners, advisory board meetings, webcasts, podcasts, and other modern communications. Programs in elegant hotels are often quite pleasant and interesting, particularly compared to the lesser ambience that characterized traditional CME. Nonetheless, certain aspects of these programs may be termed “hotel-based medicine,” which may detract from the ostensible purpose of increasing knowledge concerning diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of diseases. Further, both financial and…
