Never underestimate the reasons for high fees and poor service from Telus . .   
   .  it all commingles to produce the kinds of profits that allows this:   
   ___________________________   
   Updated: August 3, 2018   
      
   Telus jumps into business of health clinics, buys national chain   
      
   Telus Health is plunging into the business of elite medical clinics, spending   
   just over $100 million to acquire Medisys-owned corporate and employee health   
   clinics across Canada.   
      
   The acquisition involves about 30 boutique clinics, which operate under the   
   Medisys, Copeman Healthcare and Horizon Occupational Health Solutions brands.   
   Some of them charge hefty annual membership fees for affluent families and   
   executives.   
      
   Josh Blair, the head of Telus Health, said buying Medisys, “a profitable   
   entity,” lets Telus improve its presence and capabilities in areas like   
   virtual care appointments, private and secure personal health records, mental   
   health applications, mobile    
   health delivery and emergency response tools for seniors.   
      
   The purchase ensures that Telus digital products — which it calls wellness   
   solutions — are used by the 800 health professionals working in the clinics.   
   Telus has spent a few billion dollars developing electronic health records   
   software, systems for    
   virtual health visits with doctors, apps for patients, and more.   
      
   The company says it has become the leading provider of digital technology used   
   by patients, doctors and pharmacies across Canada.  Blair said Telus Health   
   expects to eventually to expand the reach of Medisys programs and services to   
   more consumers.   
      
   “When you look south of the border, you see American tech giants moving into   
   this space … so together with Telus and Medisys, our intention is to create   
   a Canadian health tech champion that can be an alternate to the American tech   
   giants,” Blair    
   said.   
      
   Telus, he said, will work with health-care professionals and government bodies   
   to ensure its products safely store personal health records on Canadian soil.   
      
   Asked why Telus would go into the bricks and mortar medical clinic business   
   rather than just trying to sell digital products in the sector, he said:   
   “Good question. At the end of the day, high tech solutions need to be   
   complemented by health    
   professionals, so with the Medisys team, we have 800, particularly doctors and   
   nurses, who can help patients on their health journey.”   
      
   Blair said the deal — which closed a few weeks ago but was announced on   
   Friday — allows Telus to expand its relationship with the two million   
   employees of the 4,500 companies that use Medisys.   
      
   Medisys was using some Telus products, Blair said, but nowhere near the full   
   array.   
      
   Paul Lepage, president of Telus Health told employees this in a statement:   
      
   “At Medisys clinics across Canada, we’ll deliver employee-centred care,   
   backed by Telus’ world-leading broadband networks and supported by digital   
   tools such as patient portals, virtual care, wellness and mental health   
   applications, electronic    
   prescribing, electronic benefits claims and secure messaging. Every clinic   
   will be outfitted with the full suite of Telus Health solutions.”   
      
   The Medisys acquisition includes Medisys subsidiary Copeman Healthcare, the   
   Vancouver company founded in 2005 by Don Copeman, a Vancouver computer   
   technology entrepreneur.  He sold his clinics to Medisys in 2014; his   
   non-compete agreement expires in 2019    
   and he plans to re-enter the healthcare field.   
      
   Copeman Healthcare has four swanky clinics in B.C. and Alberta, catering to   
   well-heeled patients, corporate health programs and business executives.    
   Annual membership fees range between $3,500 and $4,500.     
      
   It offers publicly funded primary care but also offers expedited, private fee   
   services that focus on prevention of health problems through appointments with   
   kinesiologists, nutritionists, exercise medicine experts, personal trainers,   
   physiotherapists and    
   mental health professionals.   
      
   Copeman, who is no longer involved in the company, said in an interview the   
   acquisition by Telus is as fascinating as it is curious.   
      
   “I think the only rational explanation is that the clinics will be like   
   living labs for Telus Health to refine their digital tools, develop and test   
   new ones. It allows them to keep their products moving.”   
      
   Dr. Brian Day, the co-owner of the private Cambie Surgery Centre that is   
   leading a lawsuit challenging B.C. government attempts to limit private   
   clinics, said the purchase makes sense because large U.S. and International   
   corporations, such as Amazon,    
   Berkshire Hathaway, and JP Morgan Chase, are all getting into the business and   
   targeting technology solutions as a way to improve the health-care system.   
      
   He said the fact that Medisys is a private company means Telus gains the   
   flexibility to introduce “creative initiatives and solutions” that are   
   sometimes difficult to do under the constraints that government imposes on   
   public facilities.   
      
   “I expect to see positive and much needed disruptive innovation.”   
      
   In the announcement to Telus Health employees today, president Paul Lepage   
   said every clinic will be outfitted with the “full suite of Telus solutions.   
      
   “By our estimates at Telus Health, employer and employee spending on   
   health-care services represents nearly a third of all healthcare spending in   
   Canada. At Medisys clinics across Canda, we’ll deliver employee-centred   
   care, backed by Telus’ world-   
   leading broadband networks and supported by digital tools such as patient   
   portals, virtual care, wellness and mental health applications, electronic   
   prescribing, electronic benefits claims and secure messaging.”   
   ________________________   
      
   Just watch what you post about your health or opinions about your doctor from   
   now on . . . . Telus will be sharing their online info with their clinics'   
   medical staff.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)