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Healthcare Meeting Compliance (HMCC)
Verified Venues Designation Program
The ROI of Becoming an HMCC Verified Venue
Venues need to know how to sell and host meetings within the healthcare industry. Medical meetings’ criteria differ dramatically from other industry meetings due to the unique regulatory practices of each country. Additionally, pharmaceutical, medical device and biotech companies have their own internal rules and processes that dictate locations of meetings. Compounded by the complexities of food and beverage caps, types of permissible venues, hotel room rate limitations and other relevant venue requirements, there are a myriad of planning elements meeting professionals must consider when planning an event in this sector. To remain competitive in a rapidly expanding marketplace, it is crucial that venues have a succinct and efficient way of representing how they can meet the detailed needs of their prospective clients.
How to Become an HMCC Verified Venue
While the HMCC course can be taken by an individual meeting or supplier professional, the HMCC-VV requires at least 10% of venue employees hold the HMCC certification and maintain the credential by re-certifying every two years.
Note: if the venue has multiple locations, the 10% will be calculated based on total # of meetings and events staff overall, with at least two people per location required to hold the HMCC credential.
In addition, the HMCC-VV is comprised of 11 individual standards by which venues are evaluated on to determine their alignment with the best practice standards of healthcare and life-science meetings. Evaluations are completed by MPI staff members who are trained and proficient in the HMCC and the best practices derived from it that comprise the HMCC-VV.
The HMCC-VV is an objective designation that works to ensure impartiality so that large, small, corporate, and boutique venues can be evaluated equitably. The specific outline of best practice standards and requirements for the HMCC-VV designation are detailed later in this document.
HMCC Verified Venues Best Practice Guidelines
Each of the following best practice criteria has a point allotment. Venues seeking to earn the HMCC-VV designation must attain at least 50/65 points to meet the minimum best-practice standards. Within these standards, you will see that there is one standard that is required, denoted with an (*) this standard is in reference to the Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate Course.
| Criteria | Description | Point Allotment |
| A1 | The venue/property has at least 10% of total meetings/events staff complete training and/or recertification of the Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate (HMCC) program* | 20 |
| Total Points | X/20 |
| Criteria | Description | Point Allotment |
| B1 | Venue has dedicated healthcare/life-sciences area of website.
| 6 |
| B2 | Venue annually reviews & updates all healthcare planning related documents to ensure compliance. Including but not limited to:
Other: Please Specify
| 1 Point Each (Up to 4 Total) |
| B3 | Venue provides multiple food & beverage options to assist in health-care meeting planning including, but not limited to, resources such as:
| 1 Point Each (Up to 5 Total) |
| B4 | Venue has standardized contractual agreements for inclusions/exclusions clauses including but not limited to:
| 1 Point Each (Up to 2 Total) |
| B5 | Venue has appropriate facilities that meet laboratory requirements.
| 2 |
| B6 | Venue has experience with, and can provide examples of the different types of healthcare meetings they have hosted:
| 1 Point Each (Up to 16 Total) |
| Total Points | X/35 |
| Criteria | Description | Point Allotment |
| C1 | Venue provides support for attendance tracking methods (RFID, scanners, other) in the form of technology or technology support such as AV or WIFI bandwidth.
| 1 |
| C2 | Venue provides options for increased physical security (access) or intellectual security (privacy signs, digital firewalls, or encrypted servers) or other means of physical, data, or intellectual security. | 2 |
| C3 | Venue has a designated Data Privacy Officer | 2 |
Total Points | X/5 |
| Criteria | Description | Point Allotment |
| D1 | Venue can readily (easily) provide information needed for healthcare provider expense reporting such as:
| 1 Point Each (Up to 5 Total) |
| Total Points | X/5 |
How To Apply
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Once a submission is completed in full, it is reviewed by the MPI Academy team.
Reviews can take up to three weeks, depending on the level of detail and completeness of the submission provided. If there are questions, or gaps in items submitted, MPI Academy staff will be in touch to request additional documentation.
Once approved, the venue representative will be notified and issued an invoice for the cost of the designation. Upon receiving payment, the venue will be issued a media kit that includes:
- High resolution HMCC-VV badge image for website.
- Social media language and imagery.
- Timeline for media advisory release.
- Link to HMCC-VV page and directory located on the MPI website.
- HMCC Course times and dates + enrollment code for course enrollment.
Registration for the HMCC course to be completed individual team members to be counted towards the venue minimum for HMCC credentialed employees.
Should a team member fail to complete the HMCC course, the HMCC-VV status may be delayed until all requirements have been met.
If a venue already has met the minimum # of HMCC credentialed employees, the refresh status of each recipient will be verified in lieu of taking the full course.
More About HMCC Verified Venues Designation
The HMCC-VV program is a compliment to the Healthcare Meetings Compliance Certificate course (HMCC). Developed in 2014, the course was designed to provide a comprehensive overview of healthcare compliance rules and trends. Additionally, the HMCC course is one of the only healthcare meeting compliance courses to be continually updated to ensure relevancy.
To build off the legacy of excellence the HMCC course has built, the HMCC Verified Venues designation will outline the best practice guidelines for healthcare and life-science meeting venues, establish a minimum educational standard, and provide a formal process of recognition for any venue seeking the HMCC-VV designation.
For more information on the HMCC Verified Venue designation program, or, to see if it is the right fit for your venue or property, please contact the MPI Academy at mpiacademy@mpi.org
Looking to become an HMCC Verified Destination? Contact us today!
For a list of HMCC Verified Venues.