Medtrade Continues 25-Year Tradition
While accounts differ on exactly where in Atlanta the first in a line of annual trade shows (that would later be dubbed Medtrade) was held, there is no disputing that 25 years ago, a home health care tradition was born. What began with 55 exhibitors and 200 attendees in 1979, this year will boast 21,000 attendees, as well as more than 900 exhibitors, and tout itself as the largest international trade show dedicated to the home health care industry.

For its silver anniversary, the educational and exhibition event, produced by Atlanta-based VNU Expositions, is taking a brief break from the city of its inception; Medtrade 2004 will take place October 26–28 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

CONTINUUM OF CARE
Although the conference and exhibition officially begin on Tuesday, October 26, attendees can participate in the fourth annual Continuum of Care conference on Monday, October 25. Presented by the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) and Medtrade, the daylong workshop will include educational sessions on the following tracks: Re/Hab and Assistive Technology, Home Health Nursing, Respiratory Therapy/Sleep-Disordered Breathing, and Orthotics and Prosthetics.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER/OPENING EVENTS
On Tuesday, October 26, at 11 AM, David T. Williams, a consultant for political and legislative strategy and former director of government affairs for Elyria, Ohio-based Invacare Corp, will share the story of his decades-long battle with progressive multiple sclerosis and the lessons he has learned along the way about life, relationships, and controlling your own destiny.

Following the close of the exhibit hall on the opening day, the Medtrade Kickoff Party at 5:30 PM will celebrate Medtrade’s 25th anniversary and highlight the industry’s growth over the last quarter century. During the party, the HME Excellence Awards will be presented in the following categories: Best HME Provider, Best Home Respiratory Provider, and Best Rehab Technology Provider.

EDUCATION
The educational offerings for Medtrade 2004 will focus on the show’s theme: Building Business and Improving the Quality of Life. The conference program, which includes more than 180 educational seminars, will focus on accreditation, business operations/customer service, home health/clinical issues, information technology, legal and legislative issues, pharmacy, professional motivation, rehabilitation and assistive technology, reimbursement, respiratory, and sales and marketing.

Medtrade will present a series of sessions that give attendees access to leaders in the industry. “Meet the HME Experts” panels will be presented each day in the areas of legal and regulatory, reimbursement, and sales and marketing issues. Other educational events include an Accreditation Summit and a hands-on HME showroom redesigning workshop.

EXPOSITION
The Medtrade 2004 exposition will offer attendees the opportunity to see more than 250,000 products and visit more than 900 manufacturers and distributors. The exhibit hall will be open Tuesday, October 26, and Wednesday, October 27, from 10 AM to 5 PM and Thursday, October 28, from 10 AM to 4 PM.

The exhibit hall also will be home to the Medtrade Meeting Place, an area that will contain the New Product Pavilion, the Meet the Speaker area, and Grassroots Central. Grassroots Central is an area where attendees can learn about proposed legislation and find easy ways to get involved in grassroots lobbying at both the state and national levels. Cosponsored by Home Health Care Dealer/Provider magazine and Medtrade, Grassroots Central will feature speakers who will address current legislative concerns (see the full schedule on page 34). Participants also can visit with state association representatives, use free online lobbying resources first-hand, sign up for free legislative alerts from AAHomecare, write personal letters to congressional representatives, and obtain advice from government relations experts from AAHomecare, major industry manufacturers, and buying groups.

For more information about Medtrade 2004, visit www.medtrade.com or call (800) 933-8735. Next year’s Medtrade will be held October 18–20, 2005, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.