Medtrade Report I

Wow! As the Medtrade meeting drew to a close, I took the opportunity to speak with many HME providers from all parts of the country. Everyone was excited and pleased with the new opportunities they discovered on the showroom floor. They all gave me basically the same message: “This year, Medtrade was not just another meeting but one where we found OTHER new ideas and are able to make plans for the future of our company.” Both the attendees and the exhibitors were all well aware of how the economy is changing and the need for the health care industry to adapt to remain viable.


The opening speaker, Dr. Clifford Schorer, Columbia University Business School, laid the groundwork as he discussed the challenges to the industry. He emphasized using current technology and developing new ideas. He gave several examples of how companies have done this. Dr. Schorer told the attendees that they, too, must take advantage of the fact that people today have i-pads and other technological means of communication. What an eye-opener! What an opportunity!

This year most attendees came by themselves or with a key employee. Attendance was up and all of the providers and their staff were busy viewing the exhibits to find new means of increasing their OTC cash sales.

The NextGen Medtrade Accessible Home, located in the corner of the exhibition hall, attracted almost every attendee. The flow of providers walking through saw more 40 exhibits showing new OTC cash sale appliances. How they can bring these to their elderly and disabled customers when they returned to their home base was accomplished. Travelers from all over the country just to see this “Accessible Home” thought it made the worthwhile. All enjoyed the tour and each came away with new ideas!

There is much more to report and the next few blogs I will talk about these. I would like to know what you took home from Medtrade this year. Please contact me
(877-553-5127 or shelly.prial@att.net) and share some of what you discovered at the meeting, some highlights and perhaps how you can implement these thoughts. Every provider has to work together and then I will be able to see you all again next year at Medtrade! Yes, all I can say is “wow.”