Medtrade West -- HME Business

Medtrade West

By Bill Lozon, Pamela Friedman
Mar 01, 2001

The Las Vegas Hilton, Las Vegas Nev., will become host to the spring buying event for the home health care industry, March 26 - 28, when it opens its doors to thousands of attendees and exhibitors for Medtrade West 2001. From the New Products Pavilion to the Party-by-the-Pool, attendees and exhibitors will find three days filled with education, new products, networking and Las Vegas entertainment.

The Medtrade conferences are produced by Atlanta-based VNU Expositions, who acquired the Future Show in 1999 and changed the name to Medtrade West. After the name change, there was an 18 percent increase in the number of companies exhibiting as well as a 25 percent increase in the number of attendance, based on the connection and name recognition associated with Medtrade.

When Future Show was positioned as the mid-year buying event, the concern with growing the event was that it was going to take away from Medtrade held in the fall, according to Cory Smith, director of sales for the Medtrade shows, VNU Expositions. However, the three-day conference now serves as a compliment to its fall counterpart Medtrade, offering health care professionals another opportunity to display and view new products, learn about new trends and regulations in the industry as well as socialize and network with other professionals.

Due to the success of the 2000 conference and exposition, VNU Expositions moved the show to the Las Vegas Hilton to accommodate the need for additional spaces and premium booths.

"We allotted 10,000 net square feet more than we had the previous year and there are 112 companies who did not exhibit at Medtrade West last year but are this year," Smith said.

Medtade West has established itself as the mid-year buying event for the home health care industry, which is evident from the unexpected response to the conference and exposition, causing VNU to sell out of space.

"Space this year has allowed us to significantly increase the number of program offering and expand the clinical information offered at Medtrade West," said Louis Feuer, educational director for the Medtrade shows.

"We're really committed to allocating a lot more resources making it a viable buying event mid-year," Smith said.

Medtrade West offers attendees an opportunity to learn about new options and strategies designed to help improve business - offering professionals in the industry a competitive edge.

Information and Tools

The Opening General Session, titled Compete, Don't Compare, will feature motivational speaker Randy Snow who plans to take the audience through his injury and rehabilitation, while identifying tactics that encourage letting go of the past, focusing on strengths and continuous adaptation. Snow hopes to show his audience that attitude is the key to life success.

Other educational seminars and sessions are designed to not only inform attendees about changes or trends in the industry, but also offer motivation for business improvements from financial stakes and profits to customer service and sales.

"Education and Medtrade have become synonymous terms and I know those who have been attending for many years will continue to see the improved quality in the presentation and program content," Feuer said.

Many of the educational seminars at Medtrade West are informative and beneficial for success in the home health care industry, but what will be of most interest to attendees are sessions related to government issues. With a shift of political parties, attendees will learn about any potential changes in the industry.

The American Association for Homecare will conduct its annual Washington Update and Membership Meeting, Monday, March 26. This is an important event for home health care professionals to gain an insight on government changes related to federal regulations and policies.

Legal and Regulatory Changes, hosted by Elizabeth Carder, Esq. and Asela Cuervo, Esq., will hone in on issues related to the latest legal and regulatory issues that will effect the management of home medical equipment. Cuervo also will be hosting a session titled The HIPAA Regulations: What You Need to Know, discussing the effects of HIPAA on business.

The new prospective payment system (PPS) will be discussed as well as a HCFA update in a session led by Bob Wardwell. Other sessions will focus on the PPS system by identifying the challenges and opportunities facing the home health industry. William Simion, Jr. CPA, FHHC will discuss revenue for intervening entities and outliers as well as bundling for all medical supplies and therapies while a patient is on a health care plan.

California attendees also will have several sessions to choose from on California licensure and other business issues important to home medical equipment (HME) providers on the West Coast.

"Medtrade West for the second year will continue to present programs of specific interest to our California attendees. We are delighted to have the support of the California Association of Medical Product Suppliers who make this happen," Feuer said.

This year, speaker handouts will be available to conference registrants about one month prior to the show. This will allow for early and efficient planning and no more carrying materials back to the office.

"We fully understand the investment one makes in attending any conference - far exceeding the conference fees - and each year we try to bring only the very best programs to our show," Feuer said.

Feuer also encourages anyone interested in being part of the Medtrade conferences to contact the show for information about programs and new faculty to sponsor and speak at the sessions.

Products

This year, with the increase in space for exhibiting, attendees will be able to view more new products than in previous years. Several different markets will be represented with various products on display for attendees to view, sample and buy. Over 300 exhibitors will display their new products this year, which is an excellent opportunity for manufacturers because they do not have to wait until next fall - an entire year - to introduce, display and sell their new products.

Represented markets include:

respiratory products
medical and surgical equipment
aids to daily living
wound and skin care
incontinence and ostomy
orthotics and prosthetics
sports medicine
retail merchandising
claims systems
store display solutions

Other management tools will be presented as e-health and Web based solutions offer HME dealers easy and efficient ways to manage various aspects of their businesses.

Attendees can catch a glimpse of the innovation and creativity that drives the market by spending some time in the New Product Pavilion. The number of manufacturers who entered the New Product Showcase has significantly increased since last year. The list includes many companies displaying various products such as sleep therapy products, rehabilitation and therapy products as well as management software.

The exhibit hall will be open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday, March 27 and from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Wednesday March 28.

Networking and Socializing

As usual, Medtrade West offers many opportunities for attendees and exhibitors to meet other professionals in the industry. Events such as Party by the Pool, featuring live entertainment, food and beverages, are designed to offer attendees an open arena for networking and discussing issues related to the industry.

Attendees can take time to seek out potential contacts and develop relationships with people who specialize in their particular market. Discussions after the educational seminars often can lead to worthwhile business partnerships by exchanging information and learning about new aspects of the industry.

The light show at the Bellagio is a majestic masterpiece filled with music and color, while the MGM Grand Hotel is home to various shops providing opportunity to pick up some souvenirs like Wizard of Oz memorabilia. Other attendees may want to see a show or ride the roller coaster at New York! New York!

After what is expected to be a prosperous and busy show, weary feet and weary minds may deter some attendees from enjoying the Las Vegas nightlife. But whatever type of entertainment attendees desire, they will have much opportunity to explore the bright lights and big city of Las Vegas, making Medtrade West a great investment of time and energy!

Schedule At-A-Glance

Monday, March 26, 2001

Registration 7:00am-5:00pm

Educational Seminars 8:30am-12:00pm

AAHomecare's Washington Update 2:00pm-3:15pm

Opening General Session 3:30pm-4:30pm

Tuesday, March 27, 2001

Registration 7:00am-5:00pm

General Session 8:00am-9:30am

Educational Seminars 9:45am-12:00pm

Exhibit Hall 10:00am-5:00pm

Party By The Pool 5:30pm-7:00pm