From Framework to Execution: A Preview of Our Upcoming Candid Conversations Event

As patients become more proactive in their health journeys and providers navigate increasingly complex clinical realities, the Point of Care (POC) is emerging as one of the most vital spaces for meaningful patient and provider engagement.

We believe that the most impactful healthcare interactions happen in these critical moments where patients and providers meet. And the industry agrees - over the past few years, POC has seen tremendous growth, officially surpassing $1 billion in revenue in 2024 and $1.2B in 2025, signaling increased confidence in the channel’s ability to deliver.

At our upcoming Candid Conversations event, taking place on June 11th in New York City, we’ll make the case for why Point of Care isn’t just another media channel on a marketing plan—but a connected ecosystem and a true point of need for brands looking to drive meaningful engagement and better patient outcomes.

Here’s a comprehensive look at what you can expect from the event.

What are Candid Conversations?

Candid Conversations is an invite-only event series designed to facilitate open, honest, and unscripted discussions among leading experts from across the Point of Care industry about what it really takes to provide better education at the POC. The series offers a unique space for participants to share challenges, gather insights, and collaborate on actionable solutions in an intimate setting.

Our goal with these events is simple: to help marketers understand the daily realities of the care journey so they can design strategies that more effectively support patients and providers.

Unlike traditional conferences that rely heavily on one-directional presentations, each Candid Conversations event is built with the power of real patient, healthcare professional (HCP) and marketer perspectives sharing real-life experiences and examples.

One frequent topic of dialogue among attendees? The friction points that exist in healthcare communication today.

What’s the Theme of June’s Candid Conversations?

The theme for our June 2026 event is From Framework to Execution: Building Smarter Point of Care Plans.

We know that Point of Care media influences shared decision-making between patients and providers and delivers measurable impact at critical moments in the care journey. However, the challenge for many marketers is knowing exactly how to implement these strategies effectively in a shifting ecosystem.

Building on the "Pathways to Care" framework we introduced at the 2026 POC NOW Summit earlier this year, we’ll show attendees how to turn winning POC strategies into practical, on-the-ground execution in advance of planning season.

As brands begin their media planning for 2027, this discussion will explore how to create more effective POC media plans that are firmly grounded in real patient and provider behaviors across diverse care environments.

Attendees will leave equipped with actionable frameworks, real-world use cases, and fresh creative ideas to immediately strengthen their media planning and execution.

When Will the Event Take Place?

• Date: Thursday, June 11, 2026
• Time: 1:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. EST
  • Registration & Opening Remarks: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
  • Content Sessions: 2:40 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
  • Rooftop Cocktails & Networking: 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• Location: NYC

A Rundown of the Content and Speakers

Our agenda is packed with dynamic panels, deep-dive showcases, and interactive workshops designed to challenge your assumptions and elevate your marketing strategies.

Here’s a preview of the content and speakers we have lined up:

Opening Remarks

The day will kick off with welcome remarks from POCMA leaders, including Board Co-Chair Dave Paragamian and POCMA President Nicole Divinagracia. They’ll set the stage for the afternoon's focus on execution and impact.

[Panel] Designing for Real Patient Needs: Perspectives from Patient Advocates

What makes POC messaging genuinely effective from the patient’s perspective?

In this session, patient advocates will share firsthand accounts of what captures their attention, builds their trust, and influences their decisions inside different care environments—and equally important, what gets ignored. From evaluating tone and clarity to timing and relevance, this conversation will unpack the communication that actually helps during vulnerable moments of need. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how to design POC experiences that connect with patients and support confident decision-making.

• Moderator: Rodnell Workman, Patient Advocate, Rutgers Cancer Institute Community Cancer Action Board, AliveandKickn Foundation
• Panelists: Shamekka Marty, Founder and Patient Advocate, Beyond the Game Health; and Mark Herzlich, Former NY Giants Super Bowl Champion and Bone Cancer Survivor

[Panel] Inside the Provider Mindset: What HCPs Need to Support Patient Care

The POC is one of the few environments where HCPs and patients process information and make decisions together—but that doesn't mean every message adds value.

In this discussion, two HCPs share exactly what they need from POC media to better support care delivery, improve patient health literacy, and facilitate informed treatment decisions. Expect an honest conversation about how marketers can create messaging that feels timely, credible, and truly useful across different clinical environments, especially as patients and providers increasingly interact with AI-generated information.

• Moderator: Steve Kearns, Sr. Director, Customer & Community Marketing, Jasper
• Panelists: Dr. Sanjay Juneja, Hematologist & Medical Oncologist, Citrus Oncology; and Philip Jocelyn, MS, PA-C, Associate Chief Advanced Clinical Provider, New York Presbyterian Hospital

[Showcase] Excellence in Action: A Deep-Dive Into Award-Winning POC Campaigns

What does best-in-class execution actually look like in practice?

This fast-paced showcase highlights standout campaigns from across the POC ecosystem, all of which received a POC Excellence Award at the 2026 POC Now Summit. Through focused case studies, we’ll explore how leading brands brought strategies to life—from branded and unbranded to multicultural campaigns—across different environments.

Presenters will break down their campaigns from soup to nuts, including target audiences, strategic objectives, channel mixes, creative execution, and measured outcomes, providing a clear view into what drives action at the Point of Care.

• Speakers: Taylor Wexler, Director, Point of Care Investments, Havas Media Network; Deborah Jakubicki, Vice President, Engagement Strategy, CMI Media Group; Shanoor Seervai, Senior Manager, Partnerships & Publications, Phreesia Network Solutions; and Nathaniel Nagy, Audience Development Strategy Director, Sesame Workshop

Dive deeper into some of our award-winning POC campaigns here:

• How Phreesia Brought the Magic of Sesame Street to the Point of Care
• Reaching Multicultural Audiences at the POC: Lessons from the Award-Winning Beyfortus Campaign
  

[Workshop] Putting It into Practice: Building a Point of Care Plan

Following a short networking break, it’s time to apply what we’ve learned.

In this interactive workshop, attendees will collaborate in small working groups to shape strategies for integrated Point of Care campaigns based on mock brand briefs. Guided by practical frameworks and real-world examples, participants will collaborate to build an integrated plan they'd activate at the POC. This session is specifically designed to help marketers translate ideas into actionable next steps for 2027 planning.

Why Attend Candid Conversations?

Healthcare is a team sport, and POC marketing requires an ecosystem approach. Attending Candid Conversations offers a vital opportunity to challenge traditional media buying practices and immerse in the clinical and patient realities that define modern healthcare.

By joining us, attendees will:

• Gain Direct Patient and Provider Perspectives: Stop guessing what patients and HCPs want. Hear directly from them about the communication gaps you can fill, what resources they expect, and the friction you can eliminate inside care environments.
• Learn from Best-in-Class Examples: See the exact strategic frameworks that have driven award-winning, measurable success in recent campaigns.
• Fuel Actionable 2027 Planning: The interactive workshop ensures you won't just leave with notes—you will leave with practical guidance and frameworks to immediately strengthen your upcoming media planning cycles and turn ideas into impact.
• Experience Unmatched Networking: Connect with 100 influential voices from pharmaceutical brands, media agencies, and media partners during our dedicated cocktail reception and throughout the day's collaborative sessions.

Point of Care media is more than just a placement; it offers an opportunity to spark life-changing conversations.

Request a ticket to attend Candid Conversations. Spots for this exclusive dialogue series are limited, so if you work at a pharmaceutical company or media agency, we highly encourage you to secure your seat today!