TORONTO (February 21, 2024) – Almost half of Canadians live with at least one major chronic disease, with the prevalence and number of chronic conditions increasing with age.1 Remarkably, 80% of these chronic conditions could be prevented through healthy lifestyle changes.2 But many Canadians lack the support they need to start the journey towards transforming their health.
GreenShield, Canada’s only national not-for-profit integrated health and benefits provider, now offers a first-of-its-kind Preventive Healthcare Program designed to help Canadians prevent and manage chronic diseases through proactive interventions.
The GreenShield program, delivered in collaboration with Dynacare, a Labcorp company and one of Canada’s leading health and well-being solutions providers, provides employees with a snapshot of their health status through their workplace. Biometric screenings are followed by one-on-one health coaching with a nurse and other health professionals.
“We know that taking preventative health measures can play a critical role in reducing one’s chance of developing chronic health conditions, but accessing routine health screenings and understanding your results remains a challenge for many Canadians,” says Joe Blomeley, Executive Vice President, Head of GreenShield Health and Enterprise Growth at GreenShield. “By bringing this comprehensive program to the market, we hope to empower the 45% of Canadians with major chronic health conditions through insights and education that can help substantially improve their health outcomes.”
Available for employers nationally, the new Preventive Healthcare Program offers:
- Onsite health screenings by Dynacare, providing vital insights into employees’ risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and more.
- Consultation with a GreenShield Health nurse, thoroughly explaining the bloodwork and health screening results, and collaborating on a personalized care plan.
- Lifestyle change health coaching and education provided by registered dietitians, chronic disease health coaches, certified diabetic educators, sleep specialists, pharmacists and more.
- Employer health programming recommendations, based on the health needs observed in testing results.
“Chronic diseases take a large toll on the healthcare system, the economy, and individuals,” said Brendon Lalonde, Vice President of Business Development, Client Services and Solutions at Dynacare. “The support we are providing GreenShield reinforces our commitments to providing high-quality, conveniently accessible health and wellness solutions for Canadians.”
GreenShield’s new program aligns with its holistic approach to healthcare and increased focus on preventative health measures and chronic disease management. Through GreenShield Health, Canadians can access a full spectrum of health services, including mental health and wellbeing support, telemedicine, and pharmacy, all available through GreenShield+, a revolutionary integrated health and benefits ecosystem.
GreenShield’s program also advances the company’s social mission of better health for all. As a not-for-profit, GreenShield reinvests its earnings and redeploys its wholly owned health services to support equity seeking communities across Canada. Launching social impact programs in areas such as mental health, oral health and essential medicines, the company is now well on its way to reinvesting $75 million to positively impact at least 1 million Canadians by 2025.
"GreenShield believes that health is a fundamental right,” says Blomeley. “By focusing on making preventative health programs more accessible, we’re doubling down on this belief and helping more Canadians live long, healthy lives.”
About Dynacare
Dynacare, a Labcorp company, is committed to being Canada’s health and wellness solutions leader. Quality care is at the heart of everything we do. We are continually developing innovative programs and services to positively impact the lives of Canadians and help healthcare providers deliver the best care possible. This includes our specialized testing, convenient home care services, and Dynacare Plus, an easy-to-use online portal where individuals can understand their lab test results and manage their health.
In addition to offering the largest and most advanced menu of diagnostic and screening tests in Canada, Dynacare supports physicians in making more confident diagnoses and clinical decisions. Dynacare Genetics and Specialty Services is shaping the future by bringing advances in medical laboratory testing and innovative services to clinicians and the healthcare industry. Through Dynacare Insurance Solutions we provide fast accurate medical evidence to the insurance industry, and we are helping improve the health and safety of employees through workplace testing and wellness programs with Dynacare Workplace.
About GreenShield
GreenShield is an integrated health and benefits organization and the first organization in Canada to operate as a payer-provider — offering insurance, administering benefits, and paying claims as a 'payer' while offering health services such as mental health, pharmacy, and telemedicine services as a 'provider.' Integrating both sides of the payer-provider equation enables GreenShield to simplify access to care, remove administrative barriers, and improve health outcomes for its customers.
GreenShield is uniquely structured as a not-for-profit social enterprise that reinvests its earnings and redeploys its services to support equity-seeking Canadian communities via its social impact brand, GreenShield Cares. The company's overarching goal is to generate $75 million of social impact investments to improve the lives of at least 1 million Canadians by 2025, focusing on mental health, oral health, and essential medicines.
As the industry's noble challenger, GreenShield continues to innovate, evolving its offerings and services to deepen its purpose of championing better health for all.
For media inquiries: Sarah Mortimer, sarah.mortimer@greenshield.ca, 1-647-221-9037
1 Stats Can: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/5102-glimpse-health-canadians
2 Government of Canada report, “How Heathy Are Canadians?”: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/how-healthy-canadians.html