Medtrade focuses on 'sweet' future 

ATLANTA – While many of the HME industry stalwarts may feel nostalgic about Medtrade’s last Atlanta appearance on Oct. 24-26, show organizers prefer to look forward. 

Show Director York Schwab describes the current mood as “excitement” from organizers, exhibitors and attendees, yet concedes that each group has unique personal feelings about the show moving to Dallas for Medtrade 2023. 

“We understand the nostalgia, but we don’t have the luxury of pondering the past,” Schwab said. “Ultimately, the move to Dallas is way more sweet than bittersweet. The vast majority of attendees and exhibitors are ready for a change. Attendees and exhibitors wanted one show per year and Dallas was the preferred city.” 

Schwab openly wonders how many in the industry are aware of the plan to hold one Medtrade a year in a different city in the spring, so he plans to “reiterate the message whenever possible.” He expects the excitement for Dallas to build in Atlanta so that “one Medtrade will serve as a rallying point and ultimately bring more attendees and exhibitors back into the fold.” 

Heading into the final Medtrade East at the Georgia World Congress Center, Schwab reports that “registration is going well, and we are looking forward to a proper Atlanta send-off.” Part of the registry includes an infusion of fresh new faces seeking to make connections in the HME business, which Schwab sees as a positive development for the future of the show. 

“These younger people see the favorable demographics,” he said. “Business schools in various colleges are also mentioning the economic opportunities associated with an aging population and we believe all these trends will help Medtrade in the future.” 

One notable aspect of Medtrade East 2022 is the relaxation of pandemic rules and protocols, allowing for a more normal routine at the show and a renewed educational focus on audits and regulatory issues. 

“These issues are definitely finding their way back into the conference session schedule and exhibitors are also there to help,” Schwab said. “While the pandemic is still around, the severity of COVID is, fortunately, much lower than it was in 2020 and 2021.”