Medtrade 2003 Planner

Start each day of Medtrade 2003 with a fresh outlook on HME! First up each morning of the show, Oct. 9-11 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, HomeCare will sponsor an opening session designed to put the industry’s current concerns into perspective. “Despite the various challenges the HME industry is currently facing, it remains the most cost-effective option for health care,” says Cory Smith, group show director for VNU Expositions, Medtrade organizers. “Because of this, Medtrade 2003 is designed to address the key issues in home health care by providing the industry with high-impact education, comprehensive product offerings and legislative support.”

On Thursday, Oct. 9, hear first-hand about current legislation facing the industry at the American Association for Homecare’s “Washington Update.” Never before has it been as important to understand how decisions in Washington can affect your company. Learn about AAHomecare’s fight against competitive bidding, and get the inside scoop from a leading government official on the issues that are being discussed on Capitol Hill.

On Friday, Oct. 10, put your business plans in place with vital information from The Weeks Group’s “Outlook for HME: 2004-2008” long-term industry forecast. What does the future hold for home health care? This research-based session contains information that addresses market growth, bargaining power of buyers and suppliers, competition and regulatory issues. To stay on track in the coming years, find out: what the fastest-growing product lines in this five-year period will be; what the demographics of customers will be; how distribution of products and services will change; technologies and treatments that may replace current methods; and what factors will contribute to a 10.61 percent growth rate in DME spending.

On Saturday, Oct. 11, get up and get going with small business guru Timothy S. Mescon as he presents “Size May Not Matter: Winning in a Challenging, Competitive Market.” In HME today, it’s about speed, agility and responsiveness to the market. In the old days, big beat small; today, fast beats slow. As a provider, that can be your company’s advantage. Find out how in this informative, entertaining session that applies 21st-century thinking to the areas of business strategy, customer service, optimum performance and change management.

And that’s all before the show floor opens. This year, 250,000 products from more than 900 manufacturers and distributors will be on view at Medtrade. In addition, the conference program will include more than 180 educational seminars.

For more information about the trade show event, call 800/933-8735 or visit www.medtrade.com.

Medtrade 2003 opens its doors Oct. 9-11 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Preceded by an all-day Billing Boot Camp on Oct. 7 and the Medtrade Continuum of Care on Oct. 8, this year’s expo and conference promises more than 900 exhibitors and 180 educational sessions. Use this special Medtrade preview to help plan your time at the show. For more information about the event, call 800/933-8735 or visit www.medtrade.com.

Schedule at a Glance

• Tuesday, Oct. 7
  Billing Boot Camp 8:00 a.m. – 5:15 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 8
  Medtrade Continuum of Care 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  AAHomecare Golf Classic 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 9
  Opening Session 7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
  AAHomecare’s Washington Update
  Sponsored by HomeCare
  Educational Seminars 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  Exhibit Hall 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  Kick-off Event 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 10
  Opening Session 7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
  The Weeks Group’s Outlook for HME 2004-2008
  Sponsored by HomeCare
  Educational Seminars 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  Exhibit Hall 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 11
  Opening Session 7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
  Small business guru Dr. Timothy S. Mescon
  Sponsored by HomeCare
  Educational Seminars 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  Exhibit Hall 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.