How the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology Increased the Impact of their Events
CANO and AQIO organize events including an annual symposium as well as smaller events that focus on transfer of clinical and empirical research. They used for Fourwaves to gain efficency and drive engagement.
2017
Professional Association
Nursing in Oncology
Billy Vinette, RN, MSc, and PhD candidate has served as secretary for the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology and the Association québécoise des infirmières en oncologie.
His role includes organizing academic events that focus on the transfer of clinical and empirical research. Billy oversees CANO/AQIO’s academic congresses, educational evenings, and conference series, ensuring impactful and engaging events.
Challenges Before Fourwaves
Planning academic events is no small responsibility, especially when juggling multiple event formats and audiences. Vinette and the team at CANO/AQIO were facing a number of challenges managing these events, including:
- Time-consuming registration processes with manual workflows.
- Complex requirements such as meal preferences, which were previously managed through emails or external forms.
- A steep learning curve with older systems that frustrated users outside the academic field.
- Inefficiency in reusing event templates or duplicating successful formats.
Everything was a hassle. The system we had before felt outdated, and tasks like managing meal choices or registrations took too much time and effort. We needed a solution that just made sense for everyone.
CANO/AQIO Secretary and Postdoc, University of Montreal
Why Fourwaves
Vinette and the team at CANO/AQIO chose Fourwaves for its user-friendly interface and unmatched flexibility.
Key decision factors included:
- Ease of use: Even for retirees or non-academic participants, Fourwaves proved to be intuitive and accessible.
- Efficiency: Features like reusable templates allowed organizers to duplicate and refine events year after year.
- Flexibility: The platform handled paid and free events seamlessly, while simplifying registrations, meal preferences, and other specific requirements.
- Scalability: Although all of Fourwaves’ features weren’t needed right away, organizers valued knowing they were available as the platform evolved with their needs.
How CANO/AQIO Leveraged Fourwaves
The team at CANO/AQIO benefits from using Fourwaves in many ways, including
- Event duplication: By reusing past event website templates, they built on successful events with minimal effort.
- Custom registration: Simplified participant registrations, including specific preferences like meal choices or registration type.
- Knowledge sharing: Enabled seamless transfer of clinical and empirical research, fostering networking and collaboration.
- Time-saving tools: Automated processes for abstract submissions eliminated manual work, letting organizers focus on delivering high-quality content.
Fourwaves truly thinks of everything. It’s not just a platform, it’s a partner in making our events successful, year after year.
CANO/AQIO Secretary and Postdoc, University of Montreal
Measurable Results and Real Impact
Since adopting Fourwaves, CANO/AQIO has experienced significant improvements, including:
- Time savings: Event setup now takes a fraction of the time, with duplication capabilities streamlining processes year after year.
- Participant satisfaction: Attendees have given a great deal of positive feedback on the modern, seamless experience, from registration to event participation.
- Improved workflow: Automated systems eliminated the need for manual tasks like managing meal choices through emails.
- Future-proof flexibility: The platform continues to evolve, ensuring it meets the growing and changing needs of academic event organizers.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, the CANO/AQIO team plans to continue leveraging Fourwaves to refine and enhance their event experiences. As their academic events grow in scale and complexity, they look forward to exploring additional features within the platform, ensuring they remain at the forefront of innovative event management.
With Fourwaves’ ongoing updates and responsive support, the organization is committed to continually streamlining operations, improving accessibility, and providing an exceptional experience for participants year after year.
About CANO/AQIO
Established in 1985, the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology/Association canadienne des infirmières en oncologie is a national organization with a mission to advance oncology nursing excellence through practice, education, research, and leadership for the benefit of all Canadians, and a vision of being an international nursing leader in cancer control. They are a member-run association that takes direction from its membership in formulating activities and initiatives.