The annual Medtrade Expo in Atlanta is THE tradeshow for anything & everything new in the home medical equipment (HME) industry. So we sent our very own licensing pro Serena Soo to check out, and show off, the latest.
And now that she’s back in the office, we wanted to post a few highlights you may wish to note… including observations that could be applicable no matter what category you’re inventive idea is in:
- The HME industry keeps getting bigger as people (and their insurance companies, of course) are looking for products and solutions that enable individuals to avoid or reduce hospital stays. Among the product categories that appeared to have a whole lot of innovations: rehabilitation aids, physiotherapy (aka: physical therapy, ultrasound, electrotherapy, and more) tools, and mobility aids.
- Many showed new compression hosiery and surgical legware—an expanding (no pun intended) space because this legware is increasingly recommended for everything from the prevention of swelling & tired legs to helping persons with venous disease. Of note, this year vanity really mattered—much of the Expo buzz centered around new colors that provide compression with fashion… or blend in by looking like normal socks or hosiery. Leading the charge were players including Sigvaris, Inc., Bell-Horn and BSN Medical’s Jobst line. Smartly, these and other companies are also employing new materials for added benefits, like using silicon to prevent slipping.
- Sleep sells like nothing else, so many companies this year featured products that support healthy sleeping, especially for persons with sleep apnea and other respiratory conditions. Among the standouts, CPAP masks with padded cushioning so that people who need to use the breathing machines at night aren’t leaning right into hard plastic, ResMed with its products that purportedly help adapt and/or normalize breathing to increase the amount of time a person is in REM sleep, and electronics giant Phillips with its Respironics line of sleep aids (including its FitLife, pictured with this post).
- Lastly, yes, it’s true—you can’t go to Atlanta without stopping at the famous The Varsity, also known as the world’s largest drive-in, serving burgers & dogs downtown since 1928. Serena is usually all about sharing, but we’re not sure if this applies to her onion rings.
Let us know if you have any questions about Medtrade—Serena’s happy to provide additional first-hand insight.
Comments