2012 Product Trade Show Still Open to Consumers
Atlanta is the place to be this year for all things involving home health products. Medtrade, the durable medical equipment trade show for providers and clinicians, sets up shop at the Georgia World Congress Center Oct. 15-18.
Although Medtrade won’t include an official “Consumer Day” in 2012 as it has for the last several years, consumers can still visit the big show, according to Medtrade officials.
Consumers who want to attend the expo can register online and use the promo code MT12Expo. Pricing ranges from $25 for early birds to $100 on site.
In addition, consumer interests will be represented at the show via consumer organizations participating in the new consumer advocacy pavilion.
One such participant is Stone Mountain, Ga.–based Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC), which has received donations of unsold floor samples from Medtrade since 2003. Items such as wheelchairs, walkers and lifts are then provided at little or no cost to people with disabilities who are experiencing delays in receiving healthcare benefits. FODAC also provides support services such as home and vehicle modifications.
“In 2011, we filled 4,510 requests for equipment (up from 3,849 in 2010) and distributed 4,814 HME (home medical equipment) items to 2,387 unique clients,” said Chris Brand, president and CEO of FODAC. “Our demographic breakdown was 50% adults, 39% over 60 and 11% under 21. For the first time, we saw a surge of requests by members of the middle class, whose job and benefit losses forced them to come to FODAC as a safety net. Our low-to-moderate–income client service went from 35% to 45% of the total clients serviced.”