Dubrovnik, Croatia, March 5, 2020 - EPIC 2020. Europe's first patient experience and innovation congress has been postponed as a precaution due to the coronavirus.
It was - and will be - one of the best health tourism conferences on the calendar, with an A-list set of speakers due to appear in Dubrovnik from the very top of the healthcare industry. Collaborative international presenter Cleveland Clinic, one of the biggest names in healthcare, had no less than 5 speakers heading to Croatia, Mayo Clinic had three, with other speakers including senior representatives from the Disney Institute, Cisco and the editor of International Medical Travel Journal.
It is a conference which will take place, but now at a later date than the planned March 19-21 gathering, after organisers Bagatin Clinic and Cleveland Clinic made the difficult but sensible decision not to attend due to the current coronavirus situation. The organisers have sensibly decided that the health and well-being of their delegates, sponsors, speakers and attendees is their first priority, and they would prefer to wait for a later date when everyone can travel safely and confidently, without any challenges or risks.
Ognjen Bagatin, CEO of Bagatin Clinic, announced the decision on his social media:
Given the current world situation regarding the coronavirus epidemic, the 1st EPIC - European Patient experience & Innovation Congress, scheduled to take place in Dubrovnik March 19-21, coorganized by the GCR - Global Clinic Rating, Irving Stackpole, Poliklinika Bagatin and our collaborative international presenters from Cleveland Clinic is being postponed to a later date.
I'm very sad to announce this, but the health and well-being of our partners, sponsors and speakers are our priority and we would rather wait for a later date, when we can all travel peacefully, safely and without any fears or worries ?
I would like to thank the whole EPIC team, all the health professionals, our speakers and collaborators for their hard work and effort over the last few months – I am sure it will all pay off, just with a little delay!
This is just a small obstacle in our way, from which I am sure we will emerge stronger and that in the very near future, the first EPIC - European Patient Experience & Innovation Congress, will be a great success.
The coronavirus has appeared in Croatia, eleven cases in all (all of which are mild), but they are away from the main tourist hot spots such as Dubrovnik, Split, Rovinj and the islands.
The decision to stage EPIC 2020 in Dubrovnik was the latest statement from the Croatian medical tourism industry of its rising visibility on the international market. Many industry experts agree that Croatia has the potential to be among the top ten medical tourism providers in the world within ten years, and EPIC 2020 is one of the first major medical tourism conferences to bring the industry's finest minds to learn more about Croatia's potential.
EPIC 2020 is organised by Bagatin Clinic, with collaborative international partner, Cleveland Clinic. The unlikely partnership of such a global name and a small Croatian clinic which only started operations in one room 12 years ago is testament to the determination and quality of Bagatin's team - the clinic was voted Best International Cosmetic Surgery Clinic 2019 at the annual International Medical Travel Journal awards in Berlin last December.
For more information about EPIC 2020, including updates on the rescheduled date, visit the official website.
For the latest in the Croatian medical tourism story, follow the dedicated TCN section.
