ATLANTA--The National Registry of Rehabilitation Suppliers is teaming up with Medtrade to manage the rehabilitation education track at this year's fall conference.

While the industry trade show has typically offered beginner- to intermediate-level rehab education, NRRTS, a registry of certified rehabilitation technology suppliers (CRTS), will go into more depth with its training assistance, according to NRRTS President Mike Seidel.

"Many HME providers are ... running into several issues regarding knowledge of the clientele and their disability and applying the right technology to the person," said Seidel.

Issues like educating customers about the appropriate equipment, satisfying them without wasting health care dollars and understanding their coverage criteria--from Medicare to private insurance--are big challenges for HME providers, he added.

While the exact courses NRRTS will offer are still being determined, Seidel said, they will in part be geared toward teaching providers to "understand the person that they're applying the product to, [with] a little more in-depth education into the medical condition of a client and the psychology of a client.

"Oftentimes, when we're providing rehab, we may be in an area where there's not a clinician involved," Seidel explained. "The more we know about a person's disability, their disease process, the effects of that disease process down the road and long-term, then the better we are at meeting that person's goals."

Medtrade attendees will be able to gain continuing education credits for several of the rehabilitation track sessions to be offered. For more information, visit www.medtrade.com.