ERS Satellites 2024: an interview with co-chair Prof. Hilary Pinnock

ERS Satellites returns on 5 March, 2024 for its seventh edition. This award-winning online event features a full-day programme covering four key disease areas: COPD, asthma, bronchiectasis and infections. Each session will be led by experts in their field.

The ERS Satellites programme is designed to support audience participation; allowing virtual delegates to ask questions and discuss presentations with speakers and chairs.

Here, ERS Satellites 2024 co-chair and ERS Education Council Chair, Prof. Hilary Pinnock, answers key questions about this year’s event.

For those who are new to the event, please explain a little about ERS Satellites and what people can expect this year?

ERS Satellites has gone from strength to strength since it started seven years ago. This year we have four sessions (on asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis and acute infections) which will be addressed by panels of leading global speakers on our virtual platform. Each session includes 30 minutes of Q&A, offering every opportunity to debate the hot topics and learn from the expert panels.  

What are you most looking forward to about ERS Satellites 2024?

As a practicing clinician, I am particularly looking forward to the practical approach to updating our clinical practice that is built into all the sessions. This year, reflecting the 2024 Congress theme of ‘Man and Machine’, we have included presentations on digital health to support integrated care for COPD and improving adherence in asthma. I am sure this will generate interesting discussion in the Q&A sessions when there will be a chance to share our experiences of digital health!

Who is ERS Satellites 2024 targeted at and what can people gain from attending?

ERS Satellites is targeted at anyone involved with the care of people with respiratory conditions. Arguably, the key benefit of attending a Satellite is hearing expert speakers from around the world summarise and interpret current thinking on key topics – and then being able to interact with them to ask questions, clarify recommendations and discuss the implications for clinical care.

How would you say ERS Satellites has evolved and developed over the years?

Since the first ERS Satellites in 2018, the annual event has become one of the ‘not-to-be missed’ events of the respiratory calendar. It has retained and built on the original concept of covering the spectrum of scientific thinking from mechanisms to clinical care and implementation in routine practice. Common conditions such as asthma and COPD are always popular topics and have been included most years, but this year we have added sessions on bronchiectasis and acute respiratory infections.

What would you say makes ERS Satellites so popular and successful?

The four sessions are designed to explore translational pathways. For me, the success of ERS Satellites is how, in a two-hour session, the speakers take us from an update on basic mechanisms to implementing change that can make a difference to our clinical practice. A perfect blend of depth and breadth!

Plus – anything else you would like to mention?

The speakers bring a broad range of expertise, with clinical experience in diverse healthcare services from around Europe and globally. Don’t miss the (free!) opportunity to learn from them and contribute to the discussion!