“Retail is still a relatively small part of the industry,” said Alex Anderson, executive at Oswald’s Pharmacy and Medical Equipment, Naperville, Ill. “But we are executing retail to a high level, and we are excited to bring more people into the group and share what we know. There is enough business out there for everybody. There is a huge opportunity for growth.”

Improving the overall quality of educational content, at Medtrade and elsewhere, is one goal of the fledgeling group. “Mark Lind [Medtrade show director] got us a conference room at Medtrade Spring,” Anderson added, “and we met with Golden Technologies and AAHomecare. We spent all day talking about what is important to medical retailers.”

“The beautiful thing about our group is that we are passionate about helping people and serving the pubic in a way that billing companies can’t,” said Sydel Howell, COO, San Diego Homecare Supplies. “We offer products that are often not covered by insurance, but are going to help with comfort, health, recovery, and independence.”

When Travis Elley, owner of Seattle-based Access Medical, tells people about the group, they usually ask: Why are you sharing your secrets? “You can give all the ideas, but to actually implement them is the hard thing,” Elley said. “Finding what works, and going into other stores and seeing what they do, is so valuable. It’s about learning.”

Those who are interested in joining the Independent Medical Retailers (there is no cost) are encouraged to go to the group’s web site at www.imretailers.com.

Medtrade Spring attendees have a chance to see hundreds of items (retail and otherwise) on day two (March 4) when the Expo Floor opens at 9:30 a.m. at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Those who missed Medtrade Spring will have another chance when Medtrade convenes Nov. 2-4, 2020, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.