HME providers are packing up to make the annual fall trek down south for Medtrade, but this year they will be traveling slightly further south. That’s because Medtrade Fall has shifted from Atlanta to Orlando, Fla., well-known home of the Happiest Place on Earth, where a dream that your heart wishes comes true. And many providers are dreaming of increased revenues in the face of declining reimbursing and other funding cuts.
Slated for Oct. 7 through Oct. 10 at the Orange County Convention Center, Medtrade Fall Conference and Expo will feature more than 120 conference sessions packed with information to help providers strengthen their businesses and close to 500 manufacturers showcasing their latest and greatest products.
On the expo floor
Highlights on the expo floor include the Retail Design Center, New Product Pavilion, the NRRTS Complex Rehab Pavilion and the Advocacy Pavilion. Providers looking to increase their cash flow by developing a solid retail sales program can visit the Retail Design Center. Presented by The VGM Group and sponsored by Philips Respironics, the center will offer ideas on retail products that perform and display options that engage customers.
At the New Product Pavilion, attendees will see the most innovative HME products which have been on the market for less than one year. Attendees of Medtrade vote on these products for three awards: Innovation, Merit and Providers’ Choice.
The NRRTS Complex Rehab Pavilion is a grouping of booths all sharing the common theme: equipment and services to meet the complex needs of people with disabilities who have significant mobility and postural deficits. This pavilion is supported by NRRTS, NCART, RESNA and the University of Pittsburgh School of Health & Rehabilitation.
The Advocacy Pavilion will house industry advocacy organizations and HME relevant consumer non-profits so they may share advocacy ideas while networking with industry providers and manufacturers.
Online planner
One way providers can make the most of their time at the show is through the Medtrade Connect online personal planner found at medtrade.com. On Medtrade Connect, Medtrade 2013 attendees can:
- view Medtrade exhibitors;
- preview new products;
- add exhibitors to visit at the show;
- navigate floor plans and access booth numbers;
- contact exhibitors directly pre-show;
- schedule appointments with exhibitors and attendees;
- find exhibitor show specials; and
- export the planner or view at the show on Medtrade Mobile.
Once attendees log in and select the products/services they are interested in, they will start to see Exhibitor Matches that will assist in planning time at the show.
Conferences and seminars
Medtrade’s conference program features more than 120 one-hour conference sessions filled with ideas and strategies to help providers overcome today’s challenges. There are also numerous multi-hour sessions that will provide in-depth knowledge and ideas for providers.
“For those who make the commitment to attend Medtrade, choosing a multi-hour educational opportunity on the first day is a great way to maximize the full benefits of the show,” says Kevin Gaffney, Medtrade’s group show director.
One of those multi-hour sessions is “Keeping Your Business Ahead of the Digital Curve: Tactical Strategies for Online and Content Marketing.” This four-hour seminar will feature two industry experts, Anna McDevitt, owner of Laboratory Marketing, and Lisa Wells, of Get Social Consulting LLC, who will teach the fundamentals of creating compelling Web content that generates traffic online and in the store; how to sync online marketing programs with store sales efforts and goals for growth; and ways to develop relationships with online consumers that translate to increased retail visits.
Another new opportunity this year is the “6-4-18 Series”, which stands for six educational sessions for survival and success in the next 18 months. The hand-picked sessions recognize that round two of competitive bidding has changed the industry, and providers need vital information to help them survive and succeed. The six sessions during the will cover key topics: effective collections; purchasing and cash flow management; reducing risk; diversification and operational efficiencies; mergers and acquisitions; and transformation in business. These are all included with the conference pass.
“It should be said that beyond the 6-4-18 series, the other educational sessions are top notch,” explains Gaffney. “However, we reached out to industry leaders who told us that a certain subset of people wanted to know about the sessions that could specifically help them survive and succeed in the next year and a half. These sessions are designed to address those particular concerns.”
Additional educational opportunities on Monday, Oct. 7 include:
- Using Brightree As a Business Management Tool: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Speaker: Kathy Quehl, Training Team Leader, Brightree
- HME Sales Management Revenue Growth Summit: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Speaker: Mike Sperduti, President and CEO, Emerge Sales Inc
- Success in Diversification: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Speakers: Mark Higley, Rob Baumhover, Mike Mallaro
- Operational Efficiencies in Today’s Marketplace: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Speaker: Miriam Lieber, President, Lieber Consulting LLC
- Keep Your Hard-Earned Money: Surviving Medicare Part B DME Audits-A Hands-On Review: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Speakers: Mary Ellen Conway, President, Capital Healthcare Group, Denise Fletcher, Attorney, Brown & Fortunato, and Wayne van Halem, President, The van Halem Group, LLC
- Mobility Documentation and Evaluations Then and Now: What is really needed? How do I get it?: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Speakers: Peggy Walker, RN, Director of Reimbursement, US Rehab/VGM; Elizabeth Cole, MSPT, ATP, Director of Clinical Rehab Services, US Rehab/VGM
Registration for any of these sessions includes complementary access to the Expo. Some of these sessions also qualify attendees to access the Medtrade Conference as well at no extra charge.