Providers put on their learning caps

YARMOUTH, Maine - One-quarter of the respondents to a recent HME Newspoll say they're most interested in learning about retail and cash sales at the upcoming Medtrade Spring conference and expo.

Sessions being offered in this track include “Retail: Tips from the Grocery Industry” and “Retail Employees for the Long Haul.”

Twenty percent of respondents cite a new track, “The New Competitive Bidding,” as their top pick for learning. CMS in 2018 announced it was pausing the program for up to two years to overhaul it. Well-known experts will lead sessions that cover everything from the final rule to lead-item pricing to operating during the “gap” period, as the industry seeks to reshape the next round of bidding, hopefully for the better.

“How is the industry preparing to right the ship?” wrote one respondent.

Fifteen percent of respondents say they're most interested in learning about business operations to help reduce their expenses in sessions.

“(I am interested in learning about) the best systems and products for implementing a non-delivery oxygen model,” wrote one respondent.

Of course, the conference isn't the only place to learn at Medtrade Spring. There's also the expo, which will feature 160 exhibitors this year, say show organizers, and those exhibitors are also ready to educate providers.

 “(We want to) meet customers that will be there and talk to them about possible new products,” wrote one respondent.

For some respondents, Medtrade Spring isn't on the agenda this year, a decision they've made reluctantly.

“I would love to attend but due to all of the cutbacks we just cannot afford it,” wrote one respondent.

This year's show is slated for April 16-18 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.