For over a decade, I have had the privilege of watching the home medical equipment industry serve patients in a way that has enabled them to remain independent and live with dignity.
Home medical equipment manufacturers have continued to raise the bar on product development, continually seeking to offer providers and end-users with innovative solutions. Likewise, providers have sought new ways of conducting business, formed alliances with manufacturers and organizations, and have gone to bat for patients with payer sources to ensure they receive the most appropriate products that best meet their needs. Yet, all the while, they encounter roadblocks of enormous impact along the way.
This year, providers and manufacturers alike will have to rely on their past experiences and utilize new strategies to prepare for current and planned changes that will impact this industry.
The effects of the Medicare Mod-ernization Act of 2003 are beginning to take place. CMS is planning for the national competitive bidding program, oxygen providers are waiting on news of payment for Medicare oxygen claims, mandatory accreditation is creeping closer and closer, and the rehab industry is working relentlessly to ensure proper codes are assigned to proper products. It cannot be questioned that the industry is in dire need of education, networking opportunities and a presence on Capitol Hill.
Fortunately, organizations such as the American Association for Homecare and the National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology are working overtime to champion the HME industry's concerns. Support of these organizations as well as state HME associations is critical as the industry moves forward.
As director of the Medtrade and Medtrade Spring events, I want to share the shows' efforts to offer education, lobbying support and a place for the industry to come together as one.
From keynote speakers who can apply their knowledge and offer their expertise to specialty forums, such as the accreditation summit, Medtrade educational programming is continually improving and meeting the needs of attendees.
It also needs your input. The Medtrade staff and I are open to new ideas and concepts to improve the current program. We would like to hear any suggestions you might have that would help you get more from our annual trade shows.
Although Medtrade is not a lobbying organization, it has been able to support these efforts financially and by other means. Medtrade works with AAHomecare and other organizations to provide a forum to update attendees on the most recent legislative events affecting the home health care industry. Show producers also exhibit their support by highlighting industry accomplishments through various award programs and participating in lobbying events.
I believe one of the most critical things the Medtrade shows
offer the industry is a sense of community. It truly is a meeting
place for providers, manufacturers and industry leaders. It is a
place to attend twice a year to brainstorm, discover new solutions
to old problems and celebrate successes. Ideas are shared, and
people leave with a renewed interest in what they do and why they
do it.
— Zuzette Estevez, group show
director, Medtrade and Medtrade Spring,
VNU Expositions, Atlanta
You can contact Zuzette Estevez by e-mail at zestevez@vnuexpo.com or by phone at 800/241-9034. To learn more about Medtrade, visit the trade show Web site at www.medtrade.com.
What's on your mind? We welcome your comments by mail to: HomeCare, 6151 Powers Ferry Road, NW, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA, 30339; by fax to 770/618-0204; or by e-mail to gwalker@primediabusiness.com.
