Page 12 - HME Business, March 2018

News / Trends / Analysis
Industry Prepares for Medtrade Spring
The March 27-29 event returns to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
VGM Releases ‘Playbook’
for HME Businesses
Downloadable guide aims to help provider owners and management respond to key industry trends.
VGM Group Inc. has released Industry Snapshots: Forecasting 2018, what the member service group is calling a “playbook” that highlights issues, trends and opportunities facing the HME community.
The free, downloadable book marks the rst in a series of publications aimed at providing HME businesses with strategic insights. Industry Snapshots is available at playbook.vgm.com.
“In 2018 there is little debate there will continue to be change and uncertainty in the DMEPOS commu- nity,” said Clint Geffert, president of VGM & Associates, a division of VGM Group. “But, where there’s a threat,
a great opportunity awaits. Our playbook will provide insight and tips to help providers improve performance and offset risks within their business.”
The playbook includes 12 articles that cover topics such as compliance, data and secu- rity, mega trends, tax bill implications, and the economy.
“Today’s HME market is complex and chal- lenging,” Geffert added. “However, based on esti- mates from the Census Bureau, opportunities for growth exist and will become more prevalent in the near future-uniquely positioning our industry to help improve the quality of life for more patients than ever before. Those that are exible, adaptable and determined to evolve will become industry champions and succeed into the future.” n
Providers can download VGM’s Industry Snapshots at playbook.vgm.com.
HME providers, vendors and industry organizations are once again preparing to return to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center for Medtrade Spring, which runs March 27 to 29.
The show begins at 8 a.m. on March 27 with
four all-day workshops that cover a variety of topics: An Introduction to the Certi ed Durable Medical Equipment Specialist (CDME) designation presented by accrediting organization BOC; HME Reimbursement: It’s A New Frontier, presented by industry member service organization and buying group VGM; Optimize Brightree, Best Practices
for your Business, presented by HME software company Brightree; and HME Master Sales Training, presented by sales consulting group Emerge Sales.
Also, Medtrade Spring’s Power Lunch event runs from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on March 28 and gives providers a chance to grab some lunch and meet with a variety of experts and their peers up close and personal to have group discussions on a wide range of topics. Visit medtrade.com to learn more about each of the Power Lunch opportunities and how to register for them.
In addition to the workshops, the event’s confer- ence sessions will run 9 a.m. to 4:30 on March 27
and 1:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on March 28. Conference tracks include Audits & Compliance, Business Operations, Executive Leadership, Keeping it Legal, Medicare Updates, Retail, Sales & Marketing, and Strategic Planning. Notably, attendees can register to get access to Medtrade’s Conference Digital Library, which lets them virtually attend sessions they either
missed or want to review. Another educational
event that nearly all
attendees will want to
attend is the American
Association for Homecare’s
Washington Update,
which runs from 8 a.m. to
9:30 a.m. on March 28. This is a key opportunity for providers to learn more about public policy issues, the industry’s legislative agenda, and regulatory issues impacting their businesses.
Medtrade Spring also includes a number of networking opportunities for providers to meet and exchange business insights. This starts with the rst-time attendee orientation, which begins at 8:30 on March 27. This lets rst-timers grab a cup of coffee and get tips from show veterans about how to make the most of the event.
The Audit “Happy Hour” runs from 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. on March 27, and offers providers an oppor- tunity to meet with the industry’s audit experts in
a relaxed, cocktail setting to discuss a subject that most providers don’t nd all that relaxing.
The American Association for Homecare’s “Standup for Homecare” runs from 5:30 p.m. to
7 p.m. on March 28, and the networking event raises funds for AAHomecare’s efforts to promote a positive image of the home medical equip- ment industry and raise public awareness of the homecare industry’s many bene ts. Tickets cost $150 and be purchased at aahomecare.org. n
GCE Healthcare Rolls-out Remote Monitoring
Oxygen equipment maker’s Clarity remote monitoring platform continues important care trend.
Respiratory equipment maker GCE Healthcare has launched Clarity, a secure online platform to help home oxygen providers remotely monitor GCE’s Zen-O portable oxygen concentrator (POC).
Clarity uses secure and connected technology to collect information providers can access 24/7, from any online device, wherever they are. The information ranges from ow to oxygen purity, device location and battery life. Providers can also give their patients and their families access to the platform, giving patients an extra support network. They also can check how well the Zen-O POC is working and get advanced pre-emptive notice of any issues promptly.
The platform uses the Cellular network and GPS in the POC unit to transmit data. The system is not depen- dent on the patient having a smartphone or Bluetooth enabled phone to collect and relay the information.
“With Clarity, home oxygen providers can see how their Zen-O devices are performing, giving them visibility of their POC eet and the ability to act if need be,” said Donald Oleforo, GCE’s group product manager for Homecare. “It helps predict maintenance and proactive patient visits. This will help providers reduce their operating costs by planning their time and resources. They can then deliver improved service levels to patients and even better levels of care.” n
10 HMEBusiness | March 2018 | hme-business.com
Management Solutions | Technology | Products
For a special sneak preview of what will be on display on Medtrade Spring’s expo oor, turn to “Medtrade’s Spring Fling” on page 24.