Medtrade Seeks to Offer Inspiration

It’s been nearly a full year since the home medical equipment (HME) industry met for its first-ever Medtrade in Dallas. The earlier time slot drew positive reviews from exhibitors and attendees.

“I’ve been coming to Medtrade for the past seven or eight years, and I usually went to both shows [spring and fall],” said Don Dobbins, owner of Heritage HME in Wichita Falls, Texas. “However, I really like the idea of one show now instead of two. I come to Medtrade to learn.”

“Medtrade’s timing is perfect for attendees like Don who are looking to springboard their year and bring back knowledge and new products to help their business,” said Kerry Tyler, Medtrade’s associate show director. “The difficult-to-quantify bonus of inspiration is always a factor at Medtrade and it too can’t be overlooked. Focusing on your business for three days, surrounded by like-minded people, is a rare and valuable opportunity.”

Those three days will take place March 26-28 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.

“It really feels like a new era for the show,” said Sarah Varner, vice president of marketing for Medtrade. “The carnage of competitive bidding has severely challenged the industry, but the providers who remain are a resilient group. No one is getting any younger and demand is increasing. Medtrade is the perfect place to learn the tips and find the products to prepare for huge numbers of people entering their 70s and 80s.”

The first day of this year’s show—Tuesday, March 26—will be devoted entirely to education. Attendees can choose from four workshops, all of which run from 9 a.m. to noon. The options are:

• DMEPOS Billing Basics (no fee, advance registration required)
• BOC–An Introduction to the Certified Durable Medical Equipment Specialist ($49, separate registration required)
• Power Wheelchair Technical Training (no fee, advance registration required)
• Team@Work Sales Bootcamp (no fee, advance registration required)
• After the workshops, most educational sessions will begin at 1 p.m. The full schedule and additional details, including presenters and session descriptions, can be found at medtrade.com.

Educational sessions are open to attendees who purchase a conference pass, which also includes access to the expo floor and the Consultant Cocktail Hour from sponsored by Pride Mobility. Cocktail Hour attendees can ask questions of industry experts at this relaxed networking reception. Topics include:

• Audits
• Compliance
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Medicare Advantage
• Operations and benchmarking
• Regulatory affairs
• Ask the lawyers
• Billing and reimbursement
• Retail and sales

The expo floor opens on Wednesday at 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. The final hour encompasses the Welcome To Dallas reception, a celebration of day one with a drink, a bite to eat and an additional chance to mingle with exhibitors.

Medtrade has always worked closely with the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) and that tradition continues with the AAHomecare Update, scheduled for 2-3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27. It’s a chance to hear from AAHomecare leaders and ask questions.

“We have a lot of new exhibitors and plenty of familiar faces returning to Medtrade,” Tyler said. “We view Medtrade as a rallying point for this industry. Those who spend the time, money and effort to make the trip will not be disappointed. Education, products and networking can benefit providers all year. We look forward to seeing you in Dallas.”