It’s a constant challenge for employers to ensure their plan members understand and appreciate the pension and benefits programs available to them. It isn’t easy, but employers stand a better chance of success when the information is meaningful and relevant. The marketing and retail industries have been doing it for ages, to the point where personalization isn’t […]
One young man is on the road to recovering from depression following timely pharmacogentic testing through his employer. Allison Hazell, director of genetics at Medcan, presented the case study during her presentation on genetics and pharmacogenetics at the company’s event in Toronto on Friday. The patient, a 28-year-old Medcan employee, had a history of depression. However, […]
A partnership focused on second opinions for mental-health issues is yielding positive results. The Co-operators Group Ltd. and WorldCare International Inc. formed the partnership to research medical second opinions for mental health, with the first phase looking at using second opinions for people on disability leave for mental-health conditions. Following the first phase, 90 per cent of participants […]
Virtual health-care platform Dialogue is acquiring DXA Inc., a triage, medical charting and diagnosis technology company. DXA’s artificial intelligence-powered platform, which replicates how an emergency room doctor thinks, has been added to Dialogue’s platform. It can be used in doctor-patient interactions ranging from primary to chronic and specialized care. Read: New virtual health-care program aims to save employee […]
Cigna Corp. is collaborating with Happify Health and Prevail Health to offer employers access to the technology companies’ online mental-wellness platforms. In January 2019, the platforms will be available to employers as part of Cigna’s total behavioural health program. “We are continuing to expand and evolve our behavioural health solutions to support the wide and […]
Buck is introducing a new online platform for its plan sponsors to help manage their human resources operations. The web and online-based platform aims to aggregate a plan sponsor’s health, wealth and career programs. It offers employers access to custom dashboards and model scenarios so they can see how well their programs are performing. “The HR industry is […]
The 2018 Calgary Drug Trends Summit shone a spotlight on a wide range of trends, from new advances in drug and lifestyle therapies to the impact of cannabis legalization on benefits coverage to drug plan cost management. Here are some of the highlights of the sessions: A look at pharmacist-led deprescribing using therapeutic nutrition intervention Achieving radiant […]
Achieving radiant health through nutrition is an ancient trend that southern Alberta pharmacist Melissa Hozack is helping to revive. “In 400 BC, Hippocrates said, ‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.’ How can we promote health instead of looking at sick care?” said Hozack, a consultant pharmacist and owner of Redcliff Pharmasave, at […]
Minna Fein-Leenen was living a happy, healthy life until 2011 when she developed atopic dermatitis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease. “It was devastating. I thought I was losing my mind,” the Ottawa resident told delegates at the 2018 Calgary Drug Trends Summit on Oct. 25. “The intensity of the itching can only be described as […]
The recent legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada has brought up a lot of new questions for employers, according to one expert. “Now that we’re past legalization, this is a great time to revisit the conversation on benefits coverage. It’s important to have that conversation, rather than delaying it,” said Jonathan Zaid, director of advocacy and corporate […]