March 2009 - Highlights from the 24th Annual EAU Congress in Stockholm will be available in various multi-media platforms including an EAU TV broadcast on selected events, a first in the annual conferences organised by the European Association of Urology (EAU).

“One of the tools we intend to introduce is a more interactive communication platform replacing the current, more static, websites. Such a virtual urological community could include a mix of communication media consisting of newsletters, online social networks or instant messages,” said Prof. Manfred Wirth, EAU executive member, and head of the EAU’s Communication Office. “In the future we intend to include blogs and forums to boost networking and socializing online catering specifically to urological professionals.”

A pilot of the EAU’s strategy to use new interactive internet environment will be presented at the four-day congress which will open tomorrow. In Stockholm recordings and background material of selected scientific sessions will be available on line.

The EAU plans to combine such software with additional services, chat rooms, educational/informational material which can be downloaded or viewed aside from interactive training tools (simulators using recordings of operations) developed in collaboration with the EAU Education Office (the European School of Urology).

“We will set up a uniquely EAU interactive community for medical professionals. To give an example, many users will be interested in similar information, but a considerable portion will be guided by a particular professional interest, personal preference and the opportunity to spend time on line,” Wirth said.

A new feature in Stockholm will be the “EAU TV” which will feature live broadcasts and edited film footage. Screens will be put up at strategic locations in the Stockholm International Fairs. “EAU TV” will present roundtable discussions on the most important urological issues in prostate cancer, BPH and urinary incontinence, amongst others.

The Urosource E-mail Newsletter will also be available with regular daily news bulletins on major congress events and topics. For the first time, the EAU’s official newsletter, the European Urology Today (EUT) will be published in four special editions during the EAU annual meeting. These special issues will update participants and provide an overview of the congress events, additional information on sessions and the exhibit.