Medtrade Spring in Las Vegas ended with lots of love for innovative new products and retail merchandise
by Stephanie Gibson

In the final days of Medtrade Spring, held March 30-April 1 in Las Vegas, the votes were tallied and trophies were presented to the winners of the biannual Innovative HME Retail Product Awards, sponsored by HomeCare magazine. There were 12 product contendees from 11 companies.

First place winners iWalk Inc.First place winners iWalk Inc.

The 1st place winner is...

iWALK 2.0 Hands Free Crutch from iWalkFree Inc.

Second and third place winners ING SourceSecond and third place winners ING Source.

The 2nd place winner is...

OrthoSleeve FS6 Compression Foot Sleeve from ING Source

The 3rd place winner is...

Foot Gym from ING Source During the show, held at the Mandalay Bay exhibition hall, retail product finalists were given three minutes to present their products, along with any stand-out features and benefits. The session, titled "The Best New Retail/Cash Opportunities," was moderated by Jim Greatorex, owner of Black Bear Medical in Portland and Bangor, Maine, and a member of the HomeCare Editorial Advisory Board. These awards honor HME products that are particularly suited for retail sales, and the competition promotes and recognizes products that pad providers' bottom lines through cash sales.

The TwoCan CaneThe TwoCan Cane

During the session, attendees were encouraged to ask questions and then vote on their top selections. These votes were combined with those of judges Rob Baumhover of VGM Retail; Danielle Garabiles of Avenue Medical; and Tonja Adams of CornerStone Medical Services to determine the top three winners.

Amara View Minimal Contact Full Face MaskAmara View Minimal Contact Full Face Mask

Finishing just behind the three winners were:

  • Fourth place: The LC-358 Lift Chair with FirstUp Technology from Pride Mobility
     
  • Fifth place: The PainAway Wireless TENS from Drive Medical Design & Mfg.
     
  • Sixth place: The Viverity Pain Relief Pad from Roscoe Medical
     

In addition, three companies were recognized as Provider's Choice Award winners for their featured products in the New Product Pavilion, also sponsored by HomeCare, with provider attendees voting for their picks based on a variety of factors.

The OxyGo Protable Oxygen ConcentratorThe OxyGo Protable Oxygen Concentrator

Awards were presented on the final day of the show to allow plenty of time for voting. Gold: The TwoCan Cane by TwoCan Cane Silver: Amara View Minimal Contact Full Face Mask from Philips Respironics Bronze: The OxyGo Portable Oxygen Concentrator from Applied Home Healthcare Equipment In addition to the awards sponsored by HomeCare, representatives from Medtrade chose a winner for the biannual Best Booth award. This year, that award went to HurryCane Company for its eye-pleasing and logical layout. "The retail display was integrated into the structure of their booth," said Sarah Varner, marketing director, Medtrade. "The ongoing video demonstration, combined with an open and inviting layout, made for a particularly attractive and effective booth."