Expert panel: Digital health solutions take a holistic approach to patient care
Various forms of digital health care have been available in Canada for several years, but I’d argue nothing has accelerated the awareness, need and adoption…
Latest news in Kenneth MacDonald
Expert panel: Supporting employees’ mental health a marathon, not a sprint
Anyone who’s ever run a marathon or completed an endurance race or trek knows the last few miles are the hardest, both physically and mentally.…
- By: Kenneth MacDonald
- July 6, 2021 July 23, 2021
- 09:00
Pandemic blurring work-life lines a recipe for employee burnout
Even before the coronavirus pandemic, technology was blurring the lines between work and home life. An unhealthy attachment to our mobile phones made it easy…
- By: Kenneth MacDonald
- September 15, 2020 May 31, 2021
- 08:45
Time for more hands-on management of massage therapy benefits?
Most people agree massage offers some therapeutic benefits, such as reduction of muscle tension and pain related to soft tissue strains and injuries. Studies have…
- May 14, 2019 November 30, 2020
- 08:45
Five benefits trends and issues to watch in 2019
For most of my 25 years in the benefits industry, the pace of change has been more evolutionary than revolutionary. However, the past few years have seen…
- December 31, 2018 September 13, 2019
- 08:00
Take a psychological perspective when helping employees manage chronic pain
One in every five Canadian suffers from some form of chronic pain, a condition that often — though not always —starts with an injury or illness…
- July 31, 2018 September 13, 2019
- 17:00
Rising drug costs a source of pain? There’s a tiered formulary for that
Anyone who’s ever suffered from chronic pain will tell you it’s a great motivator. When you’re in pain, you’ll go to great lengths and will try just…
- February 21, 2018 September 13, 2019
- 14:01
Employers face hard questions until national drug program becomes reality
I remember when employers were concerned about the potential impact of a little blue pill called Viagra that came with an annual price tag of about…
- March 15, 2017 September 13, 2019
- 19:30
Look beyond plan design and expenses to control benefit costs
Achieving success at anything doesn’t just happen. In his 2008 book Outliers, Malcom Gladwell suggested the biggest contributing factor to success among those who are…
- December 6, 2016 September 13, 2019
- 09:47
Freedom of choice may be coming to an end in drug plans
The 21st century is a smorgasbord of endless abundance and choice. Growing up in the 1970s and ’80s, strawberries were only available in season and,…
- September 29, 2016 September 13, 2019
- 09:29
Consumerism, prevention key to countering Alberta’s high dental fees
It’s no surprise to most Albertans that dental fees in the province are the highest in Canada by a wide margin. Recent statistics from Alberta…
- July 26, 2016 September 13, 2019
- 09:10
5 health and wellness lessons from Ben Pobjoy
Many of you have probably never heard of Ben Pobjoy. While he may not be a household name, some of you may have seen his…
- May 20, 2016 September 13, 2019
- 08:00
How the oil bust could be ballooning your benefits costs
Alberta is not the same place it was just 18 months ago when West Texas Intermediate crude oil was trading around US$100 per barrel. That’s…
- March 21, 2016 September 13, 2019
- 09:37
Employer-sponsored drug plans becoming risky business
The financial risk to employers that provide prescription drug benefits for their employees has increased significantly over the past decade. Few employers have been lucky enough…
- February 16, 2016 September 13, 2019
- 09:30
How coping skills can keep your employees engaged at work
Some of the most intriguing books in history are about the resiliency and triumph of the human spirit. In Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, a…
- December 29, 2015 September 13, 2019
- 10:07
What’s keeping employers up at night?
It’s 11:00 p.m. and you’ve survived another day of back-to-back meetings, endless emails, gridlock traffic, making dinner and getting the kids off to bed. Your…
- August 26, 2015 September 13, 2019
- 11:49
Benefits considerations for weathering the oil slump
Albertans live and die by the price of crude oil. Whether you work for a company in the energy industry or not, oil prices impact…
- March 10, 2015 September 13, 2019
- 11:40
A holistic approach to healthcare
Which country has the better healthcare system, Canada or the U.S.? While both systems offer many benefits and challenges, I believe the U.S. model is…
- December 30, 2014 September 13, 2019
- 10:52
Are wearables the cure for rising health costs?
Canadians have never been unhealthier. The incidence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, to name a few, continue to rise. Statistics Canada found that, in…
- October 17, 2014 September 13, 2019
- 11:19
Benefits for global expansion
Canadian companies are extending their reach globally more than ever. Whether they are exploring for oil and gas in a remote corner of the planet…
- September 19, 2014 September 13, 2019
- 10:19
Debunking insurer health trend rates
There’s been no shortage of recent studies indicating that for the past few years, prescription drug inflation in Canada has been relatively flat. Drug patent…
- July 23, 2014 September 13, 2019
- 10:30
Employers embracing flexibility
One size no longer fits all and employees are demanding benefits that cater to their unique needs. Twenty years ago most organizations provided traditional benefits…
- May 29, 2014 September 13, 2019
- 11:25
The challenges of U.S. health-care reform for Canadian employers
While Canadian plan sponsors are more likely to be subsidiaries of American companies, there are many Canadian companies with subsidiaries in the United States. For…
- March 10, 2014 September 13, 2019
- 07:00
So you think you want a flex plan
In a world where just about everything is becoming customizable, it’s no surprise that many plan sponsors want to offer flexible benefits that can be…
- January 23, 2014 September 13, 2019
- 10:06
Navigating new drug cost management options
Not long ago, drug cost management typically entailed reductions in coverage for plan members in the form of lower coinsurance, increased deductibles, dispensing fee caps,…
- October 17, 2013 September 13, 2019
- 10:47