Spring show 'serious' biz

While every expense in a highly cost-sensitive HME environment should rightly be scrutinized, the thing to keep your eye on: return on investment, says Medtrade Spring Group Director Kevin Gaffney. The Feb. 29-March 2 trade show and conference at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas has been methodically developed to bring a strong return on time, effort and money spent for those who attend, he said.

“Medtrade is the industry's trade show and HME providers who are serious about their success will not be disappointed if they make the trip,” Gaffney said. “The three-pronged value proposition of education, networking, and exposure to products makes Medtrade Spring relevant, energizing, inspiring, and informative. As the second largest show focused exclusively on the home medical equipment market, it is designed to give providers the highest quality educational, networking and advocacy opportunities and the largest selection of HME products under one roof.”

With its leap-year start on Feb. 29, the show is being held a bit earlier this year and Gaffney concedes that “some people may have been caught by surprise” by the early date. Even so, attendance is tracking about the same as last year and show organizers expect registration to accelerate as opening day draws nearer.

“We may worry about attendance, but ultimately our job is not to worry,” he said. “Our job is to ask the top-notch members of our educational advisory board to home in on what it will take to overcome the challenges we face. There are a lot of options when it comes to running your business, but there is a clarifying element to attending Medtrade Spring. If the experts at Medtrade Spring are recommending a course of action, it is the right thing to do. That is important, because no one wants to spend time and energy going down the wrong path.”

 As for exhibits and products, retail has taken a big step forward in providers' interest, Gaffney said.

“You are seeing a lot of creativity out there with pain management products and all kinds of activities of daily living products,” he said. “Higher-end items such as beds, lift chairs, and home accessibility are of keen interest. Software options to more efficiently run the business are prominent, along with rehab/mobility, sleep medicine, oxygen, and pretty much all of the other familiar categories."