Building on our Canada’s Top 100 Employer and Canada’s Life and Health Insurer awards, Medavie has been named one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures for excellence in culture and performance. This benchmark of success recognizes the “top organizations and CEOs that Canada has to offer.”

Now in its 16^th year, the program honours best-in-class Canadian organizations for having cultures that enhance performance and sustain a competitive advantage.

“We take great pride in having a values-based culture, where more than 7,200 professionals are united in our mission to improve the wellbeing of Canadians,” said Medavie CEO Bernard Lord. “We are honoured to be recognized for our culture with such a highly respected, national award.

To read the full article, visit Medavie.ca. 

When it comes to resuscitating a patient, paramedics play a crucial role in the chain of survival. It includes responding to the 911 call, resuscitating the patient and treating them at the hospital and in the operating room. On September 7, 2021, that chain, as well as the training and experience of the paramedics, prevented a tragic loss for Perth County Paramedic Services (PCPS) as the team responded to a call to save one of their own.

On September 7, 2021, PCPS Paramedic Commander Mike Grosz suffered a heart attack. His wife, Ev, quickly called 911 and Acting Commander Randy Bonsma and PCP Samer Sayegh immediately jumped into action. Once on scene, Commander Grosz suffered a complete cardiac arrest but, through the quick actions of Bonsma and Sayegh, they were able to resuscitate Commander Grosz and enabled him to survive the arrest. 

At a Perth County Council meeting on November 18, PCPS Chief Mike Adair recognized Acting Commander Bonsma and Paramedic Syegh for their exemplary service and life-saving actions. The actions of Bonsma and Sayegh not only saved the life of a colleague, they prevented a difficult loss for his family, friends and everyone at Perth County Paramedic Services. As a result, they both received a Commendation for Service Excellence from Perth County Warden Jim Aitcheson for their life-saving response. Congratulations, Acting Commander Bonsma and Paramedic Syegh , and thank you!

You can read more about their heroic actions in the following media articles:

• Stratford Beacon Herald
• MyStratfordNow
• Brantford Expositor
• Sarnia Observer
• Simcoe Reformer
• Woodstock Sentinel Review
• Chatham This Week

EHS Operations has converted a standard CPR training torso into one that is more anatomically inclusive.

A 2017 study showed that women are less likely to receive CPR from bystanders in public locations, increasing their risk of negative outcomes. The chances of survival for men was significantly higher than that of women, according to that study.

It’s for this reason that EHS Operations reached out to Pamela Stone, owner of Stone Sewn, to collaborate on the creation of a new “humanequin” to help get the general public used to performing CPR on everyone, regardless of body shapes, sizes, or chest types. 

“If someone is in cardiac arrest, where they are unresponsive and not breathing, they need CPR, they need an automated external defibrillator (AED), and they need advanced medical attention, regardless of their gender identity or body type,” said Michael Janczyszyn, coordinator of the EHS AED Registry Program.

“Adding more body types to our refresher training sessions increases awareness and comfort with body diversity for the responders and better health equity for the potential patients. It is another tool in educating the public on the importance of the first three links in the Chain of Survival: recognition (calling 911), performing CPR, and obtaining and using an AED.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women worldwide and the leading cause of premature death in Canadian women. Increasing the bystander CPR and AED rate for women can improve those outcomes.

Effective early CPR and early defibrillation can save a life. Research shows that someone’s chance of survival increases dramatically with CPR and AED use within the first three to five minutes of a sudden cardiac arrest.

EHS Operations is encouraging Nova Scotians to learn about hands-only CPR, as well as how to use an AED, during national CPR Month this November.

For more information on the EHS AED Registry Program, visit https://savelivesns.ca.

A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. – Albert Einstein

Whether a small, incremental improvement or a radical change, all ideas emerge from a desire to find a better way to do something.  In the process of looking for a better way, there are likely to be many misses before we find success.  The key to innovation is to be willing to try something new and accept that the outcome may not be a resounding success.  At least, not right away.  The key to innovation is a growth mindset. 

A growth mindset is a way of thinking that encourages constant learning and improvement.  If we cultivate a growth mindset, we embrace challenges, stay resilient in the face of difficulties, learn from constructive criticism, and find inspiration in others’ success.   We believe that we can continue to learn and grow and so we open our minds to new ideas.  A fixed mindset, on the other hand, assumes that one is either good or bad at something and that mistakes are to be avoided because they reveal the limits of one’s abilities.  

Because we value innovation, there are many examples across Medavie of what it looks like to bring a mindset of questioning, openness, adaptability, and growth to our work each day. 

We all have it within our ability to innovate and drive continuous improvement if we personally cultivate a mindset of growth and encourage the same in our teams.  Consider the following actions you can take to nurture a growth mindset.

• Seek out challenges – Instead of repeating the same ways of working because they are comfortable, challenge yourself and your team to be even more effective by approaching things differently or using new skills.
• Embrace mistakes – Expect mistakes when you’re trying something new and remember that they provide valuable information that will help you refine your idea.  It’s only failure when we fail to learn. 
• Practice and encourage reflection – Be proactive asking for and giving feedback as a way to stay focused on improvement.  Consider what went well, what didn’t, what you learned and what you’ll do differently next time. 

 Applying these actions, even in small ways, can have a big impact in what we achieve together.

I’m excited to announce that Medavie has been named as a winner of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2022, a national competition to determine which organizations lead their industries in offering exceptional workplaces for their employees.

This is a tremendous honour and a testament to our collective commitment to improving the wellbeing of Canadians. Throughout the pandemic, I have been incredibly proud of how you have excelled by living our values of being caring, accountable, responsive, innovative and community-minded.

At Medavie, we are fostering a culture that promotes openness, understanding and sense of belonging, where everyone can bring their true selves to work. We’ve been listening to you to understand how we can continue to provide relevant support, while being as flexible as possible with where and how our team members work.

As one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, Medavie has been profiled in a special edition of The Globe and Mail. Check out Medavie.ca to read our profile as it appeared nationally in The Globe and Mail, as well as our ranking via Eluta.ca and Canada’s Top 100 website. We’ll also be sharing this announcement on our social media channels.

This award belongs to all of you. Thank you for making this recognition possible. Caring for our members, clients, patients, communities and one another is at the heart of Medavie — and it is how we are helping to build a healthier Canada.

Bernard Lord

CEO

Medavie

Noah Agarand, 9, was given a special surprise on Saturday from Make-A-Wish Foundation.

An MHS West ambulance with paramedics and Saskatchewan Rush mascot, Bruiser, showed up to Noah’s home to deliver the good news – he’ll be receiving a French bulldog on November 23, which he named Jellybean.

Noah was born with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a genetic condition that damages the membrane that covers nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. From January to July, Noah spent time at the Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.

CTV News Saskatoon.

Read the full article here.

Depression will affect one in eight Canadians at some point in their lives and, while it can affect anybody, it occurs most often when a person is going through a life event change. Those changes can include negative life changes, such as the loss of a loved one or a job, regular life changes, such as starting university or a big move, or physical changes, such as hormonal changes or the onset of an illness.

Depression is very treatable. In fact, with the right treatment, 80% of people with depression feel better or no longer experience symptoms at all. Getting help early can promote full recovery and let the person get back to being themself.

MindBeacon’s digital therapist-guided program for mild to moderate depression is delivered privately, one-on-one by a registered mental health professional, who has been trained to work with frontline workers to address their specific concerns with empathy and clarity. It also has the added benefit of removing a lot of the barriers of traditional face-to-face therapy, such cost, geography, stigma and wait times.

As an employee within the Medavie Health Services network, Medavie has provided you and your family (16+) access to digital therapist guided programs through MindBeacon at no personal cost. This includes full-time, part-time, term, casual, union and non-union staff.

Join MindBeacon’s experts as they discuss a useful skill called Behavioural Activation – a tool that uses positive actions to change your mood and helps us feel better in the long run, and answer your questions on: 

• Understanding why winter leads to low moods and feeling depressed
• How Behavioural Activation can be used as a tool to motivate and improve your mood
• Other tips on how to deal with winter blues

If you are unable to attend, all MindBeacon’s webinars are recorded and you can subscribe to receive those here. 

Join us November 16, at 11 am AT as we launch the first of our first Medavie Benefits+ Health & Wellness Series on Facebook Live!

Medavie Benefits+ is our new, all-inclusive health benefits and wellness centre that launched over the past year in Halifax, NS. This first-of-its-kind location provides an end-to-end member experience that allows our Medavie Blue Cross members to become full partners in their health care, guided by our experienced team of sales agents and specialists.

In recognition of Diabetes Awareness Month, nutrition consultant Nicole Marchand, RD will join us live to discuss Eating and Living Well. You’ll learn about Type 2 diabetes, the role sleep plays, stress management and physical activity in managing it and some of the lifestyle changes you can make to prevent Type 2 diabetes.

This is the first event in our Medavie Benefits+ Health and Wellness Series, hosted by our Medavie Benefits+ Centre in Halifax NS. The series will offer a variety of information sessions delivered monthly, explore key factors that influence your health and wellness and provide strategies to support you on your wellness journey.

We’ll share the Facebook Live link a week before the event. Until then, be sure to like us on Facebook to learn more and receive the notification to go live.

If you can’t make it, all our Facebook Lives will be recorded and saved on our Facebook page, so you can come back and watch them at your convenience!

Stay connected: Like us on Facebook to learn about our upcoming Facebook Live events.

Get Notified When We Go Live!

• Take a look at our previous Facebook Live: https://bit.ly/2YavU54
• Click to watch the video, and in the top right corner you’ll see a little bell circled below.

• Click on the bell to be notified every time we go live.

Don’t forget to share the events with your friends or family so they can enjoy with you!

Can’t make it? No problem! The Facebook Lives will all be recorded and saved on our Facebook page, so you can come back and watch them at your convenience.

*This event is English only

The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) is a solution designed to help employers, diversity/human rights/equity, and human resources practitioners effectively address the full picture of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the workplace. At Medavie, we have partnered with the CCDI to develop our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategy.

It is through this partnership that all Medavie employees have access to attend FREE CCDI webinars that cover a variety of DEI topics. 

Upcoming Webinars for the month of November are:

• How to address ageism at work (EN)
   Date: November 9, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET
  Age can greatly affect how you navigate the labour market and specifically, a work place. Diverse ages helps foster different view points and experiences but can also create spaces of competition and stereotyping. Join us to discuss how to address ageism in the workplace.
  
• Coaching as a tool to support inclusive environments (EN)
   Date: November 25, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET
  In today’s workplace, opportunities for formal training are often limited by time and budget constraints: coaching as a form of just-in-time development has become more and more prominent in the conversation on individual and organizational performance.
   In this webinar, participants will explore coaching as a tool to support inclusive environments. Join us to discuss how to leverage coaching techniques to embed D&I learning and accountability into the day-to-day operations and HR practices of your organization.
  
• Gender Identity vs Gender Expression (FR)
   Date: November 30, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET
  Although we may know these words, it is important we continue to further our understanding of the nuances and differences between these two gender-based concepts. Join us to explore the meaning of gender expression and gender identity and progress on your journey as an ally of the LGBTQ2+ community.
   
  
  HOW TO REGISTER
  To register for a webinar for free, follow these easy steps:
  • Click the link for the webinar you wish to attend.
  • Fill out the required information.
  • Write in Medavie as the organization

• Select Employee Partner
  
  

• Done! Enjoy the webinar.

As a values-based organization, we strive to make a difference in people’s lives and give back to the communities where we live and work.  It’s in this spirit of being caring and community-minded we launch our United Way employee giving campaign.

Beginning today, and until Wednesday, November 10, all Medavie employees can donate to their local United Way, or community organization of choice, using United Way’s secure and easy-to-use donor platform.

The United Way partners with community organizations to ensure your donation stays local and makes the greatest impact. Whether it’s a community kitchen in Saskatoon, an employment program in Moncton, or mental health services for youth in Charlottetown or Chatham-Kent, your support will be felt by those who need it most. And with society very much focused on COVID-19 recovery, there’s no better time to come together to help our local communities – and those most vulnerable – rebuild to be more inclusive, resilient, and equitable.  

Together with the United Way, we can change lives. 

Campaign Events:

• Wednesday, October 27, 2021: Campaign Launch
• Thursday, November 4, 202: Virtual Medavie Kitchen Party