DALLAS – As reported last week, Medtrade experienced significant attendance jump. “This year’s Medtrade attracted more than 2,300 qualified attendees, and that number does not include exhibitors,” said Kerry Tyler, associate show director, Medtrade. “That’s an increase of almost 25% over last year.”
Attendees and exhibitors freely expressed their opinions to show organizers. The following is a sampling of comments from a wide variety of manufacturers and HME providers.
Heard From Exhibitors
“Medtrade 2024 has been great. The foot traffic is strong and people are in good spirits. We are getting people from the east and west. We’re seeing people from California, and we look forward to working with them.” — Dena Schwerdt, Acu-Serve, Akron, Ohio
“Medtrade 2024 has been fantastic and definitely busier than the last three shows—and steadier. We’ve definitely seen a pent-up demand, and that’s the benefit of having one Medtrade per year. Most of the attendees have been serious and engaged. We are excited about coming back next year to Dallas.” — John Burns, Vive Health, Naples, Fla.
“I’ve seen the growth this year at Medtrade and organizers have done a great job. The exhibit hall is really moving. We had 67 people in our CDME presentation and that represents significant growth—partly due to the support of Medtrade.” — Matthew Gruskin, BOC, Owings Mills, Maryland
“We’ve had a fantastic day at Medtrade. We’ve been absolutely slammed from the moment the expo doors opened. We’ve had great interest and the overall feel of the show has been really positive.” — Devon Drysdale, Compass Health Brands, Middleburg Heights, Ohio
“This is my first Medtrade and it’s been very good—very rewarding. Conversations with attendees have been productive and positive—with a lot of enthusiasm about the future. Our scooters, lift chairs, and almost 20 other products received a lot of attention.” — A.J. Donatoni, Pride Mobility/Quantum Rehab, Duryea, Pa.
“Medtrade’s been great and we’re excited about the show. Our POCs [portable oxygen concentrators] continue to grow in popularity. We’ve seen a lot of serious customers. Our company is only three years old, but we have the best leadership and a vision for the future. We want to be someone’s one-stop-shop and we don’t sell direct-to-consumer. We’ll be back next year.” — Morgan Stout, Rhythm Healthcare, Florida
“Medtrade has been awesome—very busy. We’ve had a lot of educational conversations, basically teaching people about the product. It’s busier than last year, with more fulfilling conversations. We just re-signed for a booth and we plan to be back in February 2025.” — Mickala Emery, Liviliti Health Products, Lake City, Florida
“We’ve been showcasing our F40 mask and AirCurve 11. It’s been great with a lot of excitement on the Medtrade floor. Our team was delighted with the traffic around the booth. There is more buzz this year—even day two has been great. We are happy to be an industry partner of the show and happy to return in 2025.” — Kristina Young, ResMed, San Diego
“We’ve been busy all day. It’s felt like an hour, but we’re near the end. Dallas is a fantastic venue—convenient and pleasant. We’re seeing new customers and existing customers are coming back to say hello. We are the premiere supplier of lift chairs and cash mobility, and people are liking our innovation in all of the categories—especially the Cloud Plus with its ten bladder Swedish massage. The Golden Cricket is also back—a carbon fiber wheelchair that weighs 33 pounds. We’re looking forward to next year. February will be a better time for providers. Dealers in February are thinking about what they need to prepare for the spring.” — C.J. Copley, executive vice president, Golden
“We’re getting interest with our bathtub pole. Bed rails are the best sellers. We have a lot of new products to show and we signed up for next year.” — Brandon Birch, Stander, Salt Lake City, Utah
“The show has been good so far with high energy and good interactions. There’s more energy than last year.” — Sam Olivas, Mead Johnson Nutritions, Evansville, Ind.
“We’ve had three of our four largest purchases at Medtrade, and here in Dallas we’ve seen a lot of foot traffic. We’ve had a good time introducing our products and it’s been a great opportunity for attendees to see new products and demo those products.” — Brian Smith, Journey Health & Lifestyle, Richmond, Va.
“It’s been pretty busy at Medtrade. This is one of the bigger Medtrades with a lot of people, and we’re having serious conversations. I like Dallas as a venue. The February time slot is better next year to avoid spring break conflicts.” — Gabrielle Barruzza, Sunset Health Care Solutions, Chicago
“Medtrade has been good with a steady flow. A majority of attendees are dabblers until they find a product they want. Dallas is a cool area with a lot of good food and a lot happening. I noticed that the show will be in February next year and that is better.” — Alexa Aumann, Zopec Medical, Blaine, Minn.
“Medtrade has been great with a lot of positivity about our product. Having our product in the New Product Pavilion has helped to direct people to our booth. We are a first-time exhibitor and we learned about Medtrade from a distributor. He thought Medtrade would help us go national.” — Kristen Hyatt, Jover, Media, Pa.
“We’ve had very good traffic for most of the day here at Medtrade. We’ve had excellent conversations and lots of interest in our AI integrated solution.” — Tom Waller, Bonafide (sister company w/Sleep Solutions), Thousand Oaks, Calif.
“The venue in Dallas is a great central location, and it has brought a mix of attendees from east and west. People know us now and are happy to see us at Medtrade.” — Ryan Gordon, Supernal, Iowa
“Wednesday was the best day we’ve ever had at Medtrade. We’ve had way more leads than last year and many quality interactions. The people you want to see face-to-face are here. The chance to meet with the people you’re targeting at Medtrade is priceless. I agree with the 3:00 show floor closing time on the last day. It’s the right move.” — Jon Lee, Unify Medcraft, Dallas
“We’ve had excellent conversations at Medtrade and attendees are familiar with the product. We spoke with a company in Brooklyn that is looking to expand and possibly distribute our product, so that’s really cool. We received lots of actionable leads and it was fantastic. Last year at Medtrade we learned new things with regard to packaging that we are now using, so Medtrade is always a good learning experience. Medtrade is definitely back with a new energy and a sense of optimism among the attendees.” — Jim Jeffrey and Ian Darby, DARCO, Huntington, West Virginia
“The show has been good. We’ve had very honest conversations with attendees. The Medtrade team was phenomenal. They have outdone themselves.” — Derek Meier, Rifton, Rifton, N.Y.
“We have new products here at Medtrade and we’ve seen a lot of interest in what we’re showing. The show has been busy and it’s been a positive experience.” — Subbara Potharaju, F&P Healthcare, Irvine, Calif.
“We’ve been seeing quality people in general at Medtrade and getting good exposure. We are introducing new technology and information. The nasal cycle is something you need to teach, so we’ve done a lot of education. People understand it right away.” — Joshua Samuel, Dynaris, Chesterfield, Mo.
“We’ve had a lot of good feedback from attendees. Overall we’ve had wonderful foot traffic and phenomenal conversations. The educational session setup helps with traffic. We’ve done well with our vendor spotlights where we integrate with companies such as MedChat, Parachute, and Trella Health. We’ve had phenomenal quality leads because providers still need solutions. Switching to one show per year has led to pent-up demand on both coasts. Prospective attendees know they only have one chance, so they make the effort to be here. It’s been a great show.” — Jennifer Leon (pictured), Brightree
“Medtrade has been good. I’m taking orders at the show and we have specials to entice. We do specialty products for recovering patients and it’s all cash. We’ve exhibited at Medtrade probably 30 times and we’ll be back in Feb 2025.” — Kathy Davis, Contour Products, Charlotte, N.C.
“Day one at Medtrade saw lots of activity. We saw existing customers who were doing well and had a positive outlook. We are hitting the market with solutions. We are helping people maximize what they have through the emerging landscape of AI. We are providing practical examples to streamline compliance review and speed it up.” — David Schaer, Computers Unlimited, makers of TIMS, Billings, Montana
“Medtrade has been a good show with a lot more foot traffic than last year. We’re having productive conversations and great networking with existing customers—and new ones.” — B.J. Martinelli, Prochant, Charlotte, N.C.
“Medtrade has been busier than last year. I’ll see more people on day one at this show than I saw in both days last year. People are interested in our new products and we are talking with people about getting set up. We’re in a great spot on the show floor and we will be back next year.” — Randy Fly, Dalton Medical, Farmers Branch, Tex.
“We have seen a constant flow of people at Medtrade. We love our booth location and setup. We’ve had good conversations with potential customers.” — Kirsten Newquist, Feather Mobility, New York
“We’ve had awesome booth traffic here at Medtrade 2024—super good. We’ve made a lot of good connections on the ventilator side. Conversations have been serious because of the gaps in the ventilator market.” — Chelsea Burrow, React Health, Sarasota, Florida
“There are good crowds here…We’ve seen good interest and we even signed some people up here at the show, which is unusual for us.” — Rhonda Pearce, HQAA, Waterloo, Iowa
“Booth traffic has been better than the past couple of years and we’ve had high quality leads.” — Steve Crow, Pro-Series Batteries, Golden, Mo.
“Medtrade has been really good with good foot traffic. We loved sponsoring the mobile app. We liked that the scanner linked to the matrix software, and that has worked well.” — Shideh Javan, Cardinal Health at-Home, Twinsburg, Ohio
“We wrote orders and met new customers at Medtrade. It’s a good show with good traffic.” — Orthozone, Blaine, Minn.
“It’s a great place to meet our customers instead of having to chase them down. We’ve got the major players on board.” — Bobby Lankford, Tactile Medical, Minneapolis, Minn.
“Medtrade has been good and better than past years. Attendees are serious and motivated when they stop by the booth. Current customers were engaged and liking what we’ve done. Attendees were hearing things in the educational sessions that made them want to stop by and talk with us. We’ve got our booth booked for 2025.” — Carrie Proffitt, Encore Healthcare, Livingston, Tenn.
“We’ve seen a lot of good traffic flow at Medtrade this year. There are a lot more vendors in the hall. Attendees have done their research and say, ‘I’ve seen your stuff’ and they want to form partnerships. We are looking to grow and we’ve had a lot of great conversations.” — Amanda Bauer, national ramp, Valley Cottage, N.Y.
“We are seeing people from a lot of different places here in Dallas. The venue is fantastic. It’s a great environment. Medtrade organizers did a great job. The decision makers are here among the attendees. The Medtrade reputation is building again thanks to the success of the 2024 show.” — Chad Wasileski, O2 Concepts, Oklahoma City, Ok.
“Day one at Medtrade had a lot of foot traffic. Some people had no idea about ramps, and we were able to pique their interest. On the operations side, it was all we could ask for. We will be back next year.” — Zack Kismerick, Rampit, Coldwater, Mich.
“Medtrade 2024 has been great—much busier than last year with motivated and serious attendees. People are showing more interest than in the past. They understand what’s at stake and people are coming back to the industry. I’m optimistic about the HME industry. We’re in a positive place right now and going forward.” — Dawn Clayton, Chapman DME Billing, Locust Grove, Ga.
“We have not been at the show for a few years and decided to return. We are glad we came back. Medtrade 2024 has been better than expected. It’s nice to be pleasantly surprised. The market wanted one show and Emerald finally did it. I like that the expo hall is open two days and I like Dallas as a venue.” — Amber Yeager, BREATHE
“We do a lot of shows and Medtrade is a good one for us. It was packed. There was traffic all day long on day one and even on day two. This is a very well managed and highly organized show. The show management is highly responsive and I really appreciate Kerry Tyler.” — Winston Montgomery, New Step Orthotics, Maryville, Ill.
“This is a first Medtrade for me and it’s been really good with a lot of organic foot traffic and attendees asking good questions. We’ll have some good follow-ups in the coming weeks.” — Parker Nugent, Jiecang Linear Motion, Cedar Springs, Mich.
“The quality of attendee was very good at Medtrade and there were quite a few. They were serious and inquisitive—willing to forge a partnership.” — Bob Leon, Hovertech, Allentown, Pa.
“Medtrade has been really good. We’re always meeting new people and new customers at this show and that leads to increased business. Attendees seem even more motivated this year. People were interested in learning on day one, and then they came back on day two.” — Jennifer Owens, Miracle Mobility, Clearwater, Fla.
“It’s been a great show for us with a lot of good leads. We educated people about the Lymphedema Treatment Act. We’ve seen a good mix of people who were serious about doing business and moving forward.” — Cassy Lindner, Sigvaris, Peachtree City, Ga.
“Medtrade was fantastic. We had five new product launches and we’ve done wonders at the show educating attendees about group two power chairs with seat elevation—plus the world’s first narrow front-wheel drive.” — Bret Tracy, Merits, Fort Myers, Fla.
“I got a booth almost at the last minute…We showed up and got good traffic. I feel blessed with some great prospects. I’m so glad I exhibited.” — Gary Duncan, Corporate Image Inc., Little Rock, Arkansas
“We got lucky with one big order from a new international customer. That made the whole show worthwhile. We’ve been coming to Medtrade for about 35 years and you never know.” — Jon Case, Pedifix Medical Footcare
Attendee Perspectives
“I’ve been to more Medtrades than I can count. With the classes I’m going to, I’m trying to know if I’m on the right track with the latest in billing technology. I’d also like to learn about legislative issues from Cara Bachenheimer and John Gallagher.” — Deborah Brady, Home Med Care, Homewood, Ill.
“I came to Medtrade to expand my knowledge as a sales person. I’m connecting with people and learning from my competitors. I’m glad I made the trip.” — James Telles, Shield Healthcare, Valencia, Calif.
“I’m a first-time attendee and I heard about Medtrade from a consultant. I’m wide open when it comes to product categories, and I’m looking for everything at Medtrade—and finding a lot.” — Errol Thompson, Coral Springs, Fla.
“One of our vendors told us about Medtrade. I brought a colleague from the billing department and she is learning new things here at the show. We’re looking forward to seeing the concentrators from Rhythm and visiting with Brightree. We’re also looking forward to visiting with the folks who make the Afflovest, plus the reps at Golden, Harmar, and Journey Health. I’m here at the Ty Bello sales workshop to enhance my sales presentation and learn as much as I can.” — Patrick Means, Midwest Family Health, Phillipsburg, Kansas
“Power wheelchairs are a part of the field that I don’t know much about, and I did not realize how much progress had been made. The technology is more evolved than I thought. It’s incredible how advanced it is…I’m amazed.” — Danielle Chung, certified orthotist, Laguna Hills, Calif.
“Medtrade 2024 is my first Medtrade back after taking a long break. I’m here looking for customer service advice and to expand my knowledge of wheelchairs and respiratory products. We are looking for new products. We’re particularly excited to talk with Vive and Rhythm. We love their products, especially the rollators which are their best sellers. We also want to check out Transfer Blankets from Vive. We do cash sales, plus Medicare and insurance, and we want to meet again with TeamDME!” — Sydney Tevan, McKinley Medical Supply, Gallup, N.M.
“This is my first Medtrade. I am looking to build up my contacts and learn more about the legal and compliance aspects of the HME industry. We want to visit with the accrediting bodies, plus VGM, and also learn a little about the latest legislative issues.” — Neena Patel, Synapse Health, Skokie, Illinois
