Organizers are looking forward to a rebound year for the HME industry's premier show.

ATLANTA (April 27, 2017)—Six months from the start of Medtrade, Kevin Gaffney, group show director, reports that booth sales are “on track” for the show, scheduled for Oct. 23–26, 2017, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

“After the positive vibe from Medtrade Spring and renewed hope for regulatory change in Washington, we are optimistic,” says Gaffney. “Will this be a rebound year? We hope so. Meanwhile, our focus is on creating a show that unifies, informs and inspires the industry.”

Exhibitors such as Tennessee-based ramp manufacturer American Access, Inc. are coming back to Medtrade after a two-year absence, ready to share their offerings with an energized provider base.

“My level of optimism is tremendously positive,” says Taylor Walker, director of Dealer Development, American Access, Inc., Bartlett, Tennessee. “We have done a good job of positioning ourselves over the last few years, and getting back to Medtrade is a part of that. HMEs are looking for more diversity in their product line, and ramps really fit well into the accessibility market. A lot of HMEs previously tied in to Medicare/Medicaid are looking for more cash products, and that’s where we position ourselves.”

Glenn Knowles, president and CEO, Compression Therapy Systems LLC, Suwanee, Ga., is a frequent Medtrade exhibitor who is anxious to get back to Atlanta, particularly in light of his company’s new FDA approvals for innovative medical devices.

As a maker of garments for lymphedema therapy and distributor of DS Maref’s intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices, Knowles is confident that Medtrade attendees will respond to the “great quality and features of the products that serve a real need for patients.”

Some of Compression Therapy Systems’ products are reimbursed by Medicare and private insurance, but there is also a cash-pay side that Knowles says is definitely increasing. Marketing the products at Medtrade this year is a top priority, with Medtrade Spring a possibility in 2018. “I heard that Medtrade Spring was better this year,” says Knowles. “Going there in 2018 depends on our situation at that time, so we will see.”

Visit medtrade.com for more information.

—Greg Thompson