Professional attendance at healthcare meetings has climbed 13.8 percent compared to five years ago, according to a new study by the Healthcare Convention and Exhibitors Association.

The report, released in December, also found that the average healthcare meeting used 12.4 percent more exhibit hall square footage and had 15.7 percent more exhibitors than it did in 2002.

The study analyzes more than 30,000 healthcare meetings over a 10-year period with 59 percent of them being national meetings, 28 percent state, 7 percent international, and 6 percent regional. For more information, go to www.hcea.org — and check out the March/April edition of Medical Meetings for complete coverage.