Medtrade 2011 in Atlanta Attracts 9,300 HME Industry Attendees

More than 9,300 home medical equipment providers, home health care professionals and manufacturers of home health care products and technology attended Medtrade 2011 on Oct. 24-27 at the Georgia World Conference Center in Atlanta.

The conference included 11 pre-show seminars and 128 sessions. Educational opportunities surrounding competitive bidding drew large crowds as did the inaugural Competitive Bidding Central. The Expo hall included 610 exhibitors.

The American Association for Homecare held its Stand Up for Homecare Fundraiser on Tuesday evening, Oct. 25.  The event raised more than $70,000, which will help advance advocacy for the HME industry.

AAHomecare presented its first Homecare Champion awards. The recipients were Tom Ryan, president and CEO of Farmingdale, N.Y.-based Homecare Concepts and Joe Lewarski, vice president of clinical affairs at Invacare Corporation, based in Elyria, Ohio.

The Power for Funding Networking Reception, hosted by MK Battery, also was held on Tuesday, and it raised $70,000. It was highlighted by check presentations to AAHomecare, the National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology, and the National Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers.

In the Expo, two of this year’s highlights were the Medtrade Accessible Home and Retail Design Center both of which were presented in partnership with The VGM Group’s Accessible Home Improvement of America division.

Winners of the New Product Pavilion awards, based on attendee votes, included:

• Innovation Award (awarded to the new product that best exemplifies top design/high tech/state of the art): Transcend Sleep Apnea Therapy Session, Transcend
• Merit Award (awarded to the new product that best exemplifies improvements in quality of life): The Rodeo, Convaid
• Providers Choice (awarded to the new product that best exemplifies optimal use of technology): Mabis NebPak Ultrasonic Nebulizer, Briggs Healthcare

Additionally, winners of the Best Booth Awards were presented to Drive Medical and McKesson Medical Surgical.

Nielsen Expositions owns and produces Medtrade. Its upcoming health care events include Medtrade Spring 2012, April 10–12 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, and Medtrade 2012, Oct. 15-18, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.