A large majority (89 per cent) of employers cited a better control of health-care spending as the top reason for having workplace medical clinics, according to a new survey by Mercer and the National Association of Worksite Health Centers. The survey, which queried 121 U.S. employers offering onsite or near-site medical clinics, found 84 per cent of […]
The Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System’s private equity arm is selling MatrixCare Holdings Inc., a health-care technology company, to ResMed Operations Inc. for about $982 million. “We first acquired MatrixCare as part of a larger acquisition in 2010,” said Mark Van Wart, managing director of OMERS Private Equity, in a press release. “Since bringing John Damgaard in as CEO in […]
On Sept. 25 in Mississauga, Ont., the 2018 Pharmacy Solutions in Drug Plan Management Forum presented five sessions looking at the value that pharmacy brings to private drug plans, benefits plan member experience and health outcomes. Here are some of the highlights of the sessions: Leveraging pharmacy services to improve care, drive value As pharmacists’ […]
As pharmacists’ scope of practice continues to evolve to meet changing health-care needs, plan sponsors need to leverage these services to improve care and drive value, according to one expert. “I truly think pharmacy services have great value. But there is a huge misunderstanding or even lack of awareness of what pharmacists can provide and […]
While type 2 diabetes is generally considered to be a chronic, progressive condition, a recent clinical trial showed that with pharmacist-led therapeutic nutritional intervention, reversal is a realistic goal. As Sean McKelvey, chief executive officer of the Institute for Personalized Therapeutic Nutrition, told attendees at the 2018 Pharmacy Solutions in Drug Plan Management Forum in […]
Many effective strategies exist when it comes to managing specialty drug costs, but a coordinated approach that takes the financial, clinical and pharmacy elements into account is key to achieving a balance between access and spending, according to Telus Health’s Cory Cowan. Cowan, the organization’s director of professional services, told attendees at the 2018 Pharmacy […]
Although the landscape is set to change dramatically with the legalization of marijuana for recreational use, plan sponsors and members can expect a distinct system for medical cannabis to continue, said Aurora Cannabis Inc.’s Jonathan Zaid. Speaking at the Pharmacy Solutions in Drug Plan Management forum in Mississauga, Ont. on Sept. 25, Zaid, the organization’s director, advocacy and […]
A new program that aims to move community pharmacies away from a transactional relationship with payors to a shared accountability for patient health outcomes is underway, beginning with measuring performance. Moving toward a value-based system is key because Canada currently spends more per capita on health care, on average, than any other country in the […]
Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada has launched an online network of health resources that’s free for all Canadians. The online platform, called Lumino Health, provides information about more than 150,000 health-care providers, including dentists, physiotherapists, chiropractors, vision-care providers and psychologists. In addition, it offers more than six million ratings about these providers from Sun Life plan […]
Maximizing retirement income is the most important investment and retirement issue among Canadians aged 55 or older, according to a survey by BMO Wealth Management. A quarter (25 per cent) of survey respondents said maximizing income was one of the most important issues in retirement, followed by whether their long-term care needs will affect their finances (23 […]