Exhibitor Prospectus

The Association of Physician Assistants in Oncology (APAO) is a non-profit specialty organization affiliated with the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) that consists of PAs working in the field of oncology.  Our members practice in both clinical and research settings.  The APAO holds an annual conference to educate health care professionals about oncology principles, current practices and new developments; and awards an annual scholarship to a PA student that is interested in pursuing a career in oncology.

• To promote the utilization of PAs in the delivery of the best possible care available to people with cancer and related diseases.
• To provide the general membership of the AAPA a forum for the exchange of information regarding the issues that relate to PA practice in the field of oncology.
• To represent PAs that practice in the field of oncology through the AAPA House of Delegates.

The 14th Annual APAO Conference will present comprehensive clinical and surgical approaches in a variety of oncology topics to enhance oncology expertise; and help to improve patient outcomes.  Over four-days, attendees will have a choice of general sessions, concurrent sessions and workshops to choose from.  Day 1 is a pre-conference featuring the latest clinical highlights on a variety of cancers.  Content will be cutting edge, clinically relevant breakthroughs.  These events are open to all healthcare practitioners and researchers, and target advanced practice professionals.

"In academic settings and in community settings," says APAO Past-President David Coniglio, PA-C. "PAs are being presented with the opportunity to participate in patient care, patient education, and the education of clinical providers at a time when novel therapies and novel practice settings may offer more options to our patients."  The AAPA reports that approximately 257 million patient visits are made to physician assistants, and approximately 332 million medications are prescribed or recommended by PAs.  Physicians may delegate to PAs those medical duties that are within the physician’s scope of practice and the PA’s training and experience.  State medical and PA practice acts and regulations generally allow physicians' broad delegatory authority, which permits flexible, customized team practice.  In facilities such as hospitals, PAs obtain clinical privileges through a system similar to the one used for physicians.  All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam authorize PAs to prescribe.

Patient demand is expected to grow by 48 percent in 2020. Physicians who work with PAs and NPs in their practice saw 10 percent more patients per week (.ASCO).  This typically involves having PAs and NPs see new patients, order chemotherapy and perform various procedures.  Responsibilities may include performing regular cancer screening tests, conducting physical examinations, ordering and interpreting tests, diagnosing and treating cancer, assisting in surgery, helping mange side effects, prescribing medications, and ordering chemotherapy.  In addition, PAs educate and counsel people about their disease.  Meanwhile, some PAs perform procedures, including lumbar puncture (the process of taking a sample of cerebral spinal fluid to look for cancer cells, blood, or tumor markers), paracentesis (the removal and analysis of fluid from the abdomen with a needle), and biopsy.  According to APAO member Maura Polansky, PA-C, oncology PAs also participate in clinical trials at a high rate.

The Annual APAO Conference typically attracts 250-300 registrants from across the US.  Most are affiliated with major cancer centers, while some are community-based.  Many attendees will be from within the local geographic region.

Exhibit Space

Our exhibit hall schedule offers more than seven hours of unopposed time with members.  During the opening reception, hour-long continental breakfasts and half-hour refreshment breaks, you can expect to meet and greet directly with conference attendees.  These highly trained professionals are vita l members of the oncology team.  Many past exhibitors said this was the most interactive group they had met all year-long.  Don't miss this chance to reach this highly motivated, enthusiastic group of professionals.

The exhibit fee of $3,500 includes a draped display table with chairs located outside of the meeting rooms and registration for four days with two exhibitors per day.  A Registrant Mailing List (opt-in), continental breakfasts, break food & beverages are provided to registered exhibitors.  Exhibitors will be listed in the conference syllabus and exhibitor support will be acknowledged throughout the conference.  Attendees are encouraged to visit exhibitors with opportunities to win daily prizes that are raffled by APAO.

Newsletter Advertising

Exhibitors are offered an additional opportunity to reach potential attendees via APAO’s pre-conference newsletter.  Business card-size ads can alert attendees to your exhibit.  The newsletter is sent to early conference registrants, APAO members and potential registrants.  Each ad is $500.

633 N. St. Clair Street
Chicago, IL 60611
(D) 312-274-4432
(F) 312-274-4442

Please reserve your hotel room early.  We expect to sell-out of guestroom accommodations well before the cut-off date of 12:01 a.m. on Monday, August 15, 2011.  Only those Group rooms reserved with guest name and guaranteed with a deposit will be considered reserved.

Individual Reservations by Telephone and 800#

All guests shall make reservations directly with the Hotel at local phone number 312-573-0300, toll-free number 1-800-996-3426, or by contacting Wyndham at www.wyndham.com, on an individual basis, identify themselves as members of your Group to receive the Group rate.

Other Reservation Terms

The Hotel will require an early departure charge in an amount equal to the guest’s current per night charge plus applicable taxes (excluding occupancy tax) for all guests who depart one or more days prior to their scheduled departure date verified upon arrival.

Shipping & Receiving

All shipping & receiving charges will be billed to the shipper.  The Package Room at the Wyndham Chicago (Shipping & Receiving) provides storage, pick-up and transfer of materials (less than 200 lbs.) from any internal location within our hotel.  All shipment items received by the hotel incur a standard per piece handling charge.
Boxes of "standard" size are $5 per box/per day and pallets is $200 per pallet/per day.  Items of unusual size or shape may incur additional costs assessed by your Catering Manager.  In addition, any outbound shipping will incur the same handling charges listed above, excluding the actual shipping costs.

Exhibit Set-Up

Exhibit set-up is scheduled from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14, 2011.  Exhibitors must check in at the APAO Registration Desk to obtain a name badge and set-up location prior to moving in materials.  A six-foot draped table with 2 chairs will be provided unless other arrangements are made in advance.  If you prefer to bring selfstanding displays please let us know so that we can confirm appropriate space available for you.