Medtrade 2015 Awards

The biannual Innovative HME Retail Product Awards, sponsored by HomeCare, honor HME products that are geared toward retail sales. The purpose of the competition, held each year at Medtrade and Medtrade Spring, is to promote those products that contribute to providers’ bottom lines though cash sales rather than Medicare reimbursement.

Prior to the awards, products are reviewed by judges; the top eight advance to Medtrade 2015, held in Atlanta October 26–29, for a round of judging. Those eight products are presented in a conference session, “The Best New HME Retail/Cash Opportunities,” moderated by VGM’s Jim Greatorex.

“The caliber of the entrants has gotten better every year,” said Greatorex, business development, VGM Retail Services. “The manufacturers are realizing they need more than just a product. They must also have a marketing package to help sell it to consumers.” (Greatorex is also a member of the HomeCare Editorial Advisory Board).

After officials from all eight finalists make their presentations, session attendees and judges vote to determine the top three winners.

In addition, the New Product Pavilion, also sponsored by HomeCare, houses HME products that have been on the market less than a year. Attendees vote for their favorites, and awards were presented for Provider’s Choice Gold, Silver and Bronze recognition at the end of the show.

Provider’s Choice Awards

This year’s Provider’s Choice Award winners:

• Providers Choice Gold: Urifunnel (urifunnel.com), a company founded by parents of a special needs son. The product is designed as a cost effective option to enhance bathroom sanitation and safety.
   
• Providers Choice Silver: EZ-Sit (ez-sit.com), an apparatus that attaches “arms” to an armless chair—helping people to stand independently.
   
• Providers Choice Bronze: College Canes (collegecanes.com), a line of American-made collegiate licensed walking canes.

Innovative HME Retail Product Awards

Caretailing at Medtrade: Three products won the Innovative HME Retail Product Awards. Judges and Medtrade attendees cast their votes for the top three products in the biannual Innovative HME Retail Product Awards, with Pride Mobility taking first place for its Go Go Folding Scooter.

Manufacturer representatives from all eight finalists made presentations in what proved to be a tight race for the top three awards.

The top three winners were:

1. Go Go Folding Scooter—Pride Mobility
    
2. Recovery Patches—KT Tape
    
3. DayDreamer Lift Chair—Golden Technologies
    

The eight finalists (listed in alphabetical order) were:

• Back Joy Care Bath Seat
   
• Drive Hurry Cane
   
• Golden Technologies DayDreamer
   
• ING Calf Sleeve and Wrist Sleeve
   
• KT Tape Recovery Patches
   
• MMJ Labs Buzzy Vibracool
   
• Pik Stiks TelescoPik
   
• Pride Go Go Folding Scooter
   

“The Innovative HME Retail Product Awards remain relevant in today’s HME world, and we developed a new word—caretailing—to properly describe the growing retail phenomenon,” said Kevin Gaffney, group show director, Medtrade. “Caretailing is defined as the act of providing customer service and expertise to consumers willing to pay cash for health-related products that improve their lives, and are beyond the usual scope of Medicare and other third-party payers.”

Best Booth/Creative Concept Awards

In addition to the awards sponsored by HomeCare, Medtrade presented booth awards to two winners.

• The prestigious Best Booth Award went to Mediware Information Systems (mediware.com).
   
• The Creative Concept Award went to McKesson Medical-Surgical (mckesson.com).

Congratulations to all of the winners!