Many people have asked me: What was the hottest topic at Medtrade? If I had to narrow it down, it would be sleep. If you are thinking of jumping on the sandman bandwagon and adding a sleep center to your existing business, proceed immediately to page 32 for some practical business advice. After that, go to our cover profile to find out how Pennsylvania provider Todd Cressler continues to expand his sleep business, while at the same time decreasing his dependence on Medicare.

The good news is that the sleep boat is a long way from passing you by. A recent study from the Yale University Center for Sleep Medicine, New Haven, Conn, only contributes more intellectual weight to the real and largely undiagnosed problem of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The Yale study, published in the November 2005 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, concludes that OSA “significantly increases the risk of stroke or death” independent of other risk factors, including hypertension. This study is a big deal because it is the first to establish a clear link between OSA and stroke.

When this is combined with the legions of undiagnosed OSA patients, you have a hot market that will only get hotter. Unfortunately, focusing on expanding markets and helping patients is not enough. Not when politicians are hungrily looking to HME for Medicare and Medicaid savings.

Sometimes it seems that rogue computer Hal (from 2001: A Space Odyssey) is making the decisions at CMS. But while it may seem that way, human beings are at the helm, and ultimately human beings can turn the tide.

Will 2006 be a turning point year for HME providers? A few months ago, I posed this question to Bill Elliott, president and CEO of The MED Group, and his answer sums it up well. “All industries face revenue and expense pressures,” he said. “These times will require businesses to run smarter and more efficiently, and that needs to be a theme for HME owners and managers.”

As always, Dealer/Provider will be there to help you succeed with practical articles that inform and inspire. I thank you all, dear readers, and offer best wishes for a happy new year.

—Greg Thompson