ATLANTA--When Medtrade opens its exhibit hall tomorrow, providers not only will be scouting the trade show floor for the latest home medical products but many also will be searching for answers on how to cope with Medicare's changing environment to keep their businesses going strong.

The Georgia World Congress Center is expected to host more than 20,000 home care professionals Tuesday through Thursday for the 26th annual expo and conference, the industry's largest of the year.

With 170 sessions, educational tracks on the Medtrade schedule include accreditation; business operations/customer service; home health/clinical issues; information technology; legislative and legal issues, pharmacy; professional motivation; rehabilitation and assistive technology; reimbursement and sales and marketing. This year, show organizers also will debut three new tracks: mergers and acquisitions, sleep-disordered breathing and oxygen/respiratory issues. Sessions begin at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday and 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

On the show floor, 900 exhibitors will showcase an estimated 250,000 home medical products and services. Exhibit hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday. For a full conference schedule, visit www.medtrade.com or call (800) 933-8735.

And if you're working on your calendar for next year, make a note that Medtrade will be held earlier than originally planned, trade show organizer VNU Expositions announced last week. Citing a conflict with religious holidays, the company said it is moving Medtrade from October to Sept. 19-21, 2006, although the show will remain at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

Medtrade Spring will not be affected and will take place as originally scheduled March 21-23, 2006, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

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If you will be attending Medtrade, we hope you'll join HomeCare for the Medtrade Welcome Reception & Awards Ceremony on Tuesday night, Oct. 18, at 5:30 p.m. in the Thomas Murphy Ballroom, where the magazine will present its 2005 HomeCaring Awards(TM), given in recognition of distinguished service to the home medical equipment industry. The $30 ticket price includes food and beverages, and proceeds will be donated to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Tickets will be available at the door.

While you're on the floor, stop by to meet the HomeCare staff at Booth 3129 and sign up for a FREE subscription.

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