Cassandra Williamson-Hopp

Although migraine is disabling, it’s also very common, with 2.7 million or 8.3 per cent of Canadians suffering from the condition, according to Dr. Farnaz Amoozegar, a neurologist and clinical assistant professor at the University of Calgary.  The condition affects one in seven people and is the second-leading cause of disability worldwide, she said during […]

  • November 8, 2019 November 12, 2020
  • 08:49

Only eight per cent of Canadian women who are eligible for a vaccine that covers nine strains of the human papillomavirus are actually receiving it. While one barrier is a lack of knowledge among health-care professionals and patients alike, another is the lack of coverage in group benefits plans, said Dr. Angel Chu, an infectious diseases physician at Foothills Medical Centre, […]

  • November 8, 2019 November 12, 2020
  • 08:48

When it comes to switching from a biologic to a biosimilar drug, patient choice and engagement is extremely important, according to Durhane Wong-Rieger, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders.  “While a patient’s on a drug, they need to be continuously monitoring,” she said during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2019 Calgary Drug […]

  • November 8, 2019 November 12, 2020
  • 08:46

Alongside Fluor Canada’s recent move to a flexible benefits plan, it also introduced a managed drug formulary, which includes generic substitution, prior authorization, lifetime maximums and an annual out-of-pocket maximum. While the organization was hesitant to make the change, it knew it was necessary to help control drug costs, said Michelle Ginter, senior human resources […]

  • November 8, 2019 November 12, 2020
  • 08:45

With a wellness strategy focused on complete employee health, Nav Canada was recognized with the Sanofi Canada Wellness Pioneer Award at Benefits Canada’s Workplace Benefits Awards in Toronto on Oct. 17. The award is open to Canadian plan sponsors that have provided plan members with a wellness program for at least five years. It acknowledges an organization that’s developed […]

  • October 30, 2019 November 12, 2020
  • 09:00

With its flexible yet comprehensive approach to employee well-being, Franklin Templeton Investments took home the award for a health and wellness program with fewer than 1,000 employees at Benefits Canada’s 2019 Workplace Benefits Awards in Toronto on Oct. 17. “I think our holistic approach to health — in that it’s not just the physical components […]

  • October 24, 2019 November 12, 2020
  • 09:00

Fidelity Canada’s traditional health and wellness program has evolved into a holistic initiative that incorporates every aspect of working life, leading to its award win for a health and wellness program for an organization with more than 1,000 employees at Benefits Canada’s 2019 Workplace Benefits Awards in Toronto on Oct. 17. “I think the reality […]

  • October 23, 2019 November 12, 2020
  • 09:00

When Fidelity Canada’s employees are facing challenges around their work-life balance, the company offers support through a number of absence management programs. The financial services company provides five weeks of vacation, one paid personal day and two paid volunteer days, as well as a sabbatical program that’s available to employees who’ve been with the company […]

  • October 18, 2019 March 6, 2021
  • 08:58

With around 270,000 individuals currently affected by irritable bowel disease, Canada has the highest prevalence in the world, according to Mina Mawani, president and chief executive officer of Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2019 Halifax Benefits Summit on Sept. 24. “And this is going to increase significantly. We’re going to be […]

  • October 18, 2019 November 12, 2020
  • 08:48

As the prevalence of diabetes continues to rise, so do the increases in cost, according to Adam Hotchkiss, medical science liaison at Novo Nordisk Canada, during Benefits Canada‘s 2019 Halifax Benefits Summit on Sept. 24. “In 2010, $11.7 billion was spent in Canada on the treatment of diabetes as well as its complications,” he said. “This is […]

  • October 18, 2019 November 11, 2020
  • 08:47