Medtrade Changes Bring Better Focus

Medtrade educational advisory board (EAB) members from around the country have helped to shape this spring’s Medtrade show at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

“We are very conscious of what attendees say through their queries, comments and evaluations,” says EAB member Mary Ellen Conway, president of the Capital Healthcare Group. “We talk about these comments, and occasionally even argue about how best to address them.”

Efforts of show management, along with the EAB members, have helped make Medtrade Spring a more focused endeavor. Part of that focus is reflected in the new streamlined schedule, with the show beginning on Monday and ending Wednesday.

“We felt it was important to provide dealers with the best and most relevant education opportunities while focusing the expo to two action-packed days,” explains Kevin Gaffney, group show director, Medtrade. “Attendees’ schedules are very tight these days, so we wanted to be mindful of that and provide the best, most efficient opportunities to gain the insights they are looking for to add to their success.”

On Monday, March 10, attendees have a special opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge in four special workshops covering topics that merit extra time. Attendees can choose from four workshops in an effort to start the conference on an education-packed note.

“The reason we need a period of hours is that it is immersion,” says Mike Sperduti, president 
of Mike Sperduti Sales, Emerge Sales and Renewal Technologies—and 
presenter for the Mike Sperduti HME Growth Summit. “You have to understand the concepts, how they apply to your business. You can’t get that done in a traditional seminar 
setting. We have assembled the best of the best, and we will be sharing strategies that people can implement back home to see immediate growth.”

The Power Lunch, sponsored by The VGM Group and scheduled for Tuesday, March 11, 11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m, will not rotate topics. Instead, attendees will choose one topic during the registration process and stay on that topic the entire 90 minutes. Produced in cooperation with Capital Healthcare Group, the Power Lunch features topics crucial to help businesses survive and thrive.

Attendees can pick up one of the included boxed lunches and head to their chosen topic, where moderators will kick off a roundtable group discussion. It’s an opportunity to learn from experts, hear from peers and take solutions back to their offices. Medtrade Spring also offers post-show access to its educational conference sessions.

Notes and audio will be available for the sessions at Medtrade Spring 2014 in Medtrade’s online Conference Digital Library (medtrade.com). The library allows you to review sessions you may have missed or ones you’d like to hear again. The Digital Library is available as an add-on purchase to your conference pass and provides access to sessions for one year.

In-Depth Workshops – Monday, March 10

Using Brightree as a Business Management Tool 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Speaker: Kathy Quehl, Training Team Leader, Brightree Presented by: Brightree

Recognizing Excellence in DME – An Introduction to the Certified Durable Medical Equipment Specialist (CDME) 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Presented by: BOC in partnership with MED Group

Understanding Venous Disease and the Business of Compression Hosiery 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Presented by: Evan McGill, National Sales Manager, Therafirm, a 
division of Knit Rite

The Mike Sperduti HME Growth Summit 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Presented by: Emerge Sales

Power Lunch Topics – Tuesday, March 11

Web Marketing—Snap, Crackle and POP to the Top of Search Engine Ranking for the HME Business Facilitator: Christina Throndson, Web Marketing Manager, VGM Forbin Operations—Best Practices in Operational Efficiencies Facilitator: Miriam Lieber, President, Lieber Consulting, LLC Regulatory—The New Face-to-Face Requirement: Obtaining Everything You Will Need from the Prescriber Facilitators: Kim Brummett, Senior Director Regulatory Affairs, 
American Association for Homecare; Mary Ellen Conway, President, Capital Healthcare Group Retail—HME Retail Growth Strategies Facilitator: Jim Greatorex, President, Black Bear Medical Legal—Innovative Joint Ventures and Business Arrangements with Physicians, Hospitals and Other Referral Sources While Avoiding Legal Pitfalls Facilitator: Jeffrey S. Baird, Chairman, Health Care Group, 
Brown & Fortunato

Can’t-Miss Medtrade Sessions: HomeCare Team Picks

Give Your Store an HME 180! Marketing Inside and Out That Works (Sue Chen, CEO, Nova Medical Products) Wednesday, March 12, 8:30 a.m. “Most providers have already made the leap into retail, which means this session is perfectly timed to help you make the most of marketing efforts to stand out from the crowd and post stronger in-store sales.” –Stephanie Gibson, Editor

The Elephant Man Married a Super Model! The Philosophy and Strategy to Achieving Big Goals Winning New Patient Referrals and Dominating Your Market (Mike Sperduti, 
President, Emerge Sales, Inc.) Wednesday, March 12, 11 a.m. “Sperduti knows what he’s talking about. This session is a great opportunity for providers to realize their potential and gain tips for developing powerful sales strategies.” –Kathy Wells, Associate Editor

Successful Marketing for Today’s HME Retail (Jim Greatorex, President, Black Bear Medical) Monday, March 10, 2:45 p.m.

Avoid Marketing Dollars that Go Nowhere! (Louis Feuer, President, Dynamic Seminars/Medcomment Center) Wednesday, March 12, 9:45 a.m. “In the new highly competitive HME retail environment, marketing has become a main differentiator for success. These sessions will recharge your marketing batteries and help you pull away from the crowd.” –Jim Harmon, Associate Publisher