New Orleans After spending last year in Atlanta, Medtrade returned to New Orleans this year, and according to preliminary estimates, 23,000 exhibitors and attendees visited the Ernest Morial Convention Center for the 20th annual exposition and conference.

While officials said at press time that they did not have a final tally, the mid-show total was significantly higher than last year. But many of the 1,200 exhibitors expressed concern about the number of attendees at the Nov. 3-6 show. After light traffic the first day, attendance appeared steady on Thursday and dropped off significantly Friday and Saturday.

Some exhibitors said they noticed a lot of first-time providers at the show, especially from foreign countries. Joe Randall, group director for Bill Communications' Healthcare Group, which produces the show, said that he broadened its market outreach by including more home health agencies, pharmacies and other home health professionals.The show turned a broad spotlight on new products introduced by numerous manufacturers, among them Sunrise Medical, Longmont, Colo., which debuted more than 30 new products, and Elyria, Ohio-based Invacare Corp., which introduced 22. About 250,000 products were exhibited.

In addition to the trade show, daily seminars covered a range of topics from reimbursement issues to business operations. While the seminars had previously been free, a $99 fee that included copies of the speakers' handouts was charged this year.

There were a few complaints, acknowledged Louis Feuer, education director. But he noted that "we've improved the quality of the seminars overall. At the same time, we've saved attendees from having to buy other materials, such as the conference proceedings and copies of the speakers' handouts. ... We had more than 2,000 people register [for the seminars] and be very happy about them."

Next year, officials said, Medtrade will be only three days, Oct. 3-5, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla. According to Bill Communications, both exhibitors and attendees have indicated they would prefer the shorter schedule. The 2001 trade show will be Oct. 23-25 in New Orleans.-R.P.