After regional flooding caused an evacuation of VGM's Heartland Conference last year, more than 800 HME providers, manufacturers and others gathered earlier this month in Waterloo, Iowa, the member services group's hometown, for the eighth annual event. Held at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center June 8-11, the conference featured 109 educational sessions across eight tracks: executive, operations, products and technology, regulatory issues, rehab, reimbursement, respiratory and sales and marketing. In the exhibit hall, 73 vendors showed off their latest products and services.
Attendees were able to earn up to 23 continuing education units from eight accrediting bodies: NRRTS, RESNA, AARC, University of Pittsburgh, IACET, ABC, BOC and the Iowa Board of Nursing. They also got a welcome dose of VGM's famous Midwest hospitality at a hog roast, gala party and bowling tournament.
VGM officials called the event particularly timely this year with health care reform "a front-burner issue."
In other VGM news, the group has revised the schedule for its competitive bidding seminar dates to align with CMS' new timeline for the rebid of Round One. Beginning next month and running through early September, the seminars will be held in all nine bid areas. For dates, cities and information, visit VGM's National Competitive Bidding Services Web site.