Providers are packing their bags for another edition of Medtrade, slated for Oct. 15-17 at Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center, and once again the show promises to offer a mix of educational opportunities, events and an expo that has enjoyed some new growth.
Starting on Mon., Oct. 15 and running through Wed. Oct. 17, Medtrade’s conference continues a recent trend for sessions at the show: more panel discussions and “town hall”-style formats. In terms of educational tracks, this year’s sessions will cover audits and compliance; business operations; executive leadership; “keeping it legal;” Medicare updates; retail; sales and marketing; and the “new” competitive bidding.
The AAHomecare’s Washington Update kicks things off on Tues. Oct. 16, running 8 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. This long-standing Medtrade feature covers developments on legislative, regulatory and payer relations issues from American Association for Homecare senior leadership. This year’s topics will include long-term fixes for the competitive bidding program; audit reform; our increasing engagement with state Medicaid agencies, Medicare Advantage plans, and other private payers; and continued efforts to simplify the stream of rules and requirements that stands between suppliers and patients.
But before AAHomecare gets started with the update, it will first turn the state to the VGM Group’s presentation of the 2018 HME Woman of the Year award to an individual whose strong sense of purpose and commitment to values transforms quality health care from a priority to a passion, and helps inspire others in our industry. To see a list of this year’s finalists, check out “VGM Announces Finalists for the 2018 Woman of the Year.”
On Wed. Oct. 17, the Rise & Retail Breakfast Roundtables, which run from 7:30 to 9 a.m., give attendees an opportunity to share breakfast and discuss retail topics such as marketing, employee training, products, and merchandising. Similarly, a Power Lunch runs from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Wed., which lets attendees discuss broader HME strategy topics such as online marketing, retail, home access, technology, sleep therapy, leadership, managed care, data security, and audits.
On the expo floor, Medtrade will feature 60 new exhibitors, as well as 24 companies that have returned to the show. In fact, Medtrade reports its expo has grown by 3 percent. The expo will once again feature its New Product Pavilion, which showcases new and innovative HME offerings that have been on the market for less than one year. For retail minded providers, VGM’s Retail Spotlight: Hands on with Incremental Sales showcases three popular product categories and the complementary items that can generate additional revenue for your business.
Turning to social events, Oct. 15’s Audit "Happy" Hour, which runs from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. features experts who will meet with attendees to discuss the latest developments in audits over a friendly drink. Experts include Wayne van Halem of The van Halem Group; Denise Leard of Brown & Fortunato P.C.; Kelly Grahovac of The van Halem Group; Pam Colbert of Brown & Fortunato P.C.; Brad Howard of Brown & Fortunato; and Andrea Stark of MiraVista, LLC.
AAHomecare’s Stand Up for Homecare Fundraiser Reception runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 16 off-site at the Glenn Hotel’s Skylounge. In addition to raising the profile of HME, this important industry fundraiser has funded research that underscores the value of HME and the importance of providers in U.S. healthcare. The reception is also a major networking event attended by key leaders in the HME community. Registration details are at https://www.aahomecare.org/advocacy/stand-up-for-homecare.
On Oct. 17 from, 4:45 p.m. to 5 p.m. Medtrade will host its Closing Reception and Cash Giveaway in the WellSky booth, 1610. The reception will include snacks & beverages, and a $5,000 giveaway. Details about entering the cash giveaway will be found in the onsite directory, and attendees must be present to win.