Organized meetings between physicians with the goal of exchanging knowledge and discussing patients have existed since the 18th century, when professional medical societies began to form. Before cardiology became a fully independent branch of medicine, physicians discussed cardiovascular diseases within more generalized medical assemblies. The first official medical congress was held in Paris from the 16th to the 28th of August, 1867, during the World’s Fair. This International Congress of Medicine in 1867 marked the beginning of an enduring tradition of bringing physicians together and facilitating the exchange of medical knowledge. Although the president of the congress was the renowned French physician Jean-Baptiste Bouillaud, who demonstrated the association between rheumatic fever and heart disease and authored a book on cardiovascular diseases, the principal topics of the congress were not from the field of cardiology. Rather, they focused on epidemic infectious diseases that were of major contemporary concern at the time. (1,2) The first general assembly of Croatian physicians was held in Zagreb approximately 30 years later, from the 19th to the 21th of October, 1899. (3)
The rapid development of cardiology during the first half of the 20th century created a need for specialized scientific meetings. This resulted in the First World Congress of Cardiology, held in Paris from the 3rd to 9th of September, 1950, which was also when the European Society of Cardiology was founded. (4) Since then, advances in cardiology have been regularly presented at national and international scientific meetings in the form of oral and poster presentations and conference abstracts. Today, active participation in cardiology meetings plays an important role in bringing professionals together, establishing and developing research networks, and promoting the continuous professional and academic development of physicians and nurses.
Analog submission of conference abstracts
The first congress of the Croatian Cardiac Society was held in the city of Opatija, from the 22nd to the 24th of April, 1993. At the time, preparing a conference abstract required meticulous planning, considerable technical skill, and strict adherence to technical limitations that, in the era of the Internet and artificial intelligence, are almost unimaginable today. Instead of submitting abstracts through the sophisticated abstract management system used today, authors were required to type out their abstracts on a typewriter using a form with a predefined structure and designated space for the abstract text, after which they would have to submit several identical copies of the abstract by mail. The abstract itself was already required to follow the IMRAD structure, presenting the results of the entire study in 250-300 words. Making a single typing error usually meant that the entire text had to be retyped, as the use of correction fluid would leave marks that would be visible during subsequent abstract processing. Given the technical limitations of the time, the inclusion of figures or tables in conference abstracts was not permitted. Following peer review, the submitted abstract was scanned and compiled into a printed book of conference abstracts. The aforementioned constraints influenced the form, conciseness, and structure of scientific expression in cardiology at the time. The 1993 book of conference abstracts was also characterized by limited visibility and accessibility, as it was available only in physical form in specialized libraries (5) or among congress participants.
Digital submission of conference abstracts
Over the following decades, the submission of conference abstracts in analog form was gradually replaced by digital submission. The submission, processing, and publication of conference abstracts via electronic mail was made possible by the widespread availability of personal computers and associated software, the development of file formats for universal document display (PDF; Portable Document Format), the expansion of the Internet, and the introduction of databases and international standards. The advantages of this method of abstract submission are simplicity, speed, flexibility, and low cost. However, the difficulties in administrating a large number of abstracts, increased potential for errors, difficulties in tracking submission status, and greater expenditure of working hours are the main disadvantages of processing conference abstracts via e-mail. (6,7) This digital method of submitting, processing, and publishing abstracts is currently suitable only for smaller meetings (up to 30 submitted abstracts).
Online conference management systems for abstract submission are more appropriate for larger meetings. These systems are digital tools that support conference organization, allowing the editor of the book of abstracts to focus on scientific and professional quality rather than acting as a “traffic controller” for e-mail messages. A basic abstract submission system is essentially a digitized version of submission by e-mail. The author completes a form, enters the required information, and uploads the abstract, most commonly by copying the text from a Microsoft Word document, and submits the application. The organizer receives all information in a structured format within a single database. The advantages of this basic system are its simplicity and low cost, but a substantial proportion of abstract-processing tasks cannot be automated, resulting in considerable time expenditure. (8–11) In contrast, an advanced system facilitates the management of the abstract submission, review, and acceptance processes. It includes several modules for authors and reviewers, modules for administration and processing of the abstracts, and modules for the generation of the book of abstracts and the conference program booklet. (12-14) The number of human errors (such as incorrectly transcribed first or last names, missing key sections of an abstract, document mix-ups, or forgotten reviews) are reduced to a minimum when an advanced system is used. Potential limitations of advanced conference management systems for authors include difficulties in submitting abstracts for users with lower levels of digital literacy, restrictions related to formatting and content (more complex affiliation input, structured sections, word limits, and locking of submissions after finalization), and author behavior under deadline pressure. The disadvantages of conference management systems include higher costs, greater initial complexity, dependence on technology, the risk of technical failures (e.g., system overload or dependence on technical support), and the aforementioned potential for user dissatisfaction. The latter stems from the fact that >70% of authors submit their conference abstracts within the final 24 to 48 hours before the submission deadline, while approximately 40% of submissions exhibit some form of neglect or incorrect application of the official abstract formatting instructions. (15–17)
Availability of conference abstracts
Today, conference abstracts become globally accessible within a few hours of acceptance. (18) The key steps in this process were the introduction of a computer language used for the organization, description, and transmission of data (XML; eXtensible Markup Language) and the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), a unique identifier for digital content. Each abstract now remains permanently searchable and linked to the researcher’s academic career through the ORCID identifier (Open Researcher and Contributor ID). (19,20)
Since researchers no longer carry around printed books of abstracts in conference halls, the integration of advanced conference abstract management systems with mobile applications has become increasingly important. This digital tool that cardiologists can carry in their pocket serves as a rapid and reliable guide to the conference venues and facilitates interaction during and after presentations. (21,22)
The printed book of abstracts allows for critical reflection on the conference proceedings, and continues to serve as a tool for focused study, while also representing a scientific document and a historical record of developments in the field of cardiology. (23)
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION FOR THE 16TH CONGRESS OF THE CROATIAN CARDIAC SOCIETY AND THE 13TH CONGRESS OF THE CROATIAN ASSOCIATION OF
CARDIOVASCULAR NURSES
Abstract submission for the 16th Congress of the Croatian Cardiac Society and the 13th Congress of the Croatian Association of Cardiovascular Nurses is conducted exclusively through an advanced online submission system in the English language.
In order to ensure a high level of scientific and professional accuracy, prevent technical errors in the book of abstracts, and accelerate the processing of submitted abstracts, we have implemented a new abstract management system. As is standard for other international congresses, (24-27) the system verifies technical, linguistic, and ethical requirements for abstract submission.
Authors are required to comply with the designated submission period and established deadlines for conference abstract submission. All abstracts must be written entirely in English. Authors must pay particular attention to abstract structure (14-16) and to the following rules and requirements:
ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) identification is mandatory. We recommend that the submitting author prepare a list of the ORCID identifiers of all co-authors before beginning the abstract submission process. If any co-author does not yet have an ORCID identifier, registration is free and takes less than one minute on the official website:https://orcid.org.
During the submission process (Figure 1), authors must select:
The congress to which the abstract is being submitted:
The 16th Congress of the Croatian Cardiac Society
The 13th Congress of the Croatian Association of Cardiovascular Nurses
One of the available topics under which the abstract is to be submitted
The preferred presentation format:
Oral presentation
Poster presentation
Upon submission, authors must select one of three available abstract structures (Figure 2), each with precisely defined sections:
Scientific Research – comprising four mandatory sections:
Introduction
Patients and Methods
Results
Conclusion
Case Report – comprising three mandatory sections:
Introduction
Case Report
Conclusion
Review Abstract – free-text format (without predefined subheadings)
Today, cardiology abstracts are increasingly reliant on visual data. The system supports the submission of extended conference abstracts and includes integrated modules for the upload and online display of tables and/or figures.
An abstract may contain a maximum of 400 words (excluding author information). The system’s word counter displays the current word count in real time. The system also automatically prevents submission if the abstract exceeds the specified word limit.
Following successful submission, the system automatically sends an e-mail confirmation acknowledging receipt of the conference abstract.
After completion of the abstract review process, the Scientific Committee makes one of several possible official decisions:
Based on the decision reached, the Scientific Committee sends an official notification that, depending on the reviewer assessments and available time slots in the congress program, specifies the presentation format of the submission (oral or poster). Authors will receive timely and detailed instructions regarding the permitted presentation duration and the technical requirements for PowerPoint presentations, or guidelines for poster preparation. Accepted abstracts will be included in the official congress program and published in the official Book of Abstracts and on the kardio.hr web portal.
Authors are advised to check their e-mail regularly (including the spam or junk-mail folder) to avoid missing official notifications and submission deadlines.
Conclusion
The introduction of an advanced congress management system represents a major step forward in the modernization and professionalization of the organization of scientific and professional meetings. Replacing traditional methods, such as collecting submissions by e-mail and manually maintaining spreadsheets, with automated digital solutions provides multiple benefits for all congress participants.
Participation in a congress requires a substantial time commitment from authors, who invest considerable effort and working hours in conducting research, analyzing data, and carefully preparing their abstracts. Standardized digital systems facilitate abstract submission by providing clear forms and automated guidance, thus enabling rapid and straightforward submission. This technology substantially reduces the administrative workload of the Organizing and Scientific Committee, while also eliminating the potential for errors arising from manual transcription of data and markedly accelerating the processes of abstract review and preparation of the book of abstracts.
In conclusion, the digital centralization of the abstract management process represents a standard that respects the time of all congress participants, while enabling organizers to focus on enhancing the scientific and professional quality of the meeting.