Local Rexall® pharmacists can now assess and provide required care for common illnesses, addressing immediate healthcare needs and promoting preventive care. 

Mississauga, ON (March 9, 2023) – McKesson Canada’s INVIVA has met Accreditation Canada’s Qmentum Accreditation Program requirements to become the first and only accredited national private infusion clinic network in oncology. The Cancer Care Accreditation puts INVIVA through the same accreditation process widely used by hospitals who turn to Accreditation Canada to monitor system-wide standards of excellence in quality, safety, and care.

“Accreditation is a continuous process of meeting standards of quality. INVIVA’s successful accreditation sends a clear signal to their staff, patients, and other health care providers of their commitment to quality,” says Pamela Daw, Accreditation Canada. “This external recognition of their competence elevates their profile and strengthens confidence in their services.”

In total six accreditations were awarded to INVIVA: Cancer Care, Home Care Services, Ambulatory Care Services, Medication Management, Infection Prevention and Control, and Leadership Standards. The rigorous evaluation process included over 700 standards of measurement in the areas of safety practices, external peer surveys from medical and healthcare teams, patient satisfaction ratings, and consistent adherence to high quality clinical processes.

INVIVA patients are supported by a robust network of over 300 Registered Nurses across 76 clinics, with extensive experience in administering specialty and biologic drugs intravenously, subcutaneously, and intramuscularly with specialized training in multiple therapeutic areas, including immunology, oncology, and neurology. A team of clinicians, patient care coordinators and facility employees round out the INVIVA care team. To date, there are approximately 18 oncology medications within the INVIVA network, with capability to expand the treatment portfolio to further support complex oncology treatments.

"Providing Canadian patients with convenient, quality and accessible care, closer to home is at the forefront for our INVIVA team,” says Lee Steele, Vice President, INVIVA & Chief Nursing Officer. “This new oncology distinction validates our commitment to patient care in one of the most complex therapeutic areas. Accreditation provides assurances to our patients that our standards are on par with the medical care they receive in a hospital setting.”

As a McKesson Canada Company, INVIVA is part of the care network that is dedicated to helping a patient navigate an often overwhelming and complex system. From diagnosis to patient support programs, and state-of-the-art specialty medication distribution, the integrated processes at McKesson work to ensure a seamless end-to-end patient experience that seeks to remove barriers to timely and convenient access to care.

“The reality of healthcare today is that specialized drug treatments and biologicals are more prevalent as the best course of treatment for patients living with a complex condition. This is good news for patients who can benefit from more personalized treatment and medication plans which can ultimately improve their quality of life,” said Ramy Ayad, Senior Vice-President, Biopharma and Provider Solutions, McKesson Canada.  “Accreditation Canada’s designation for INVIVA speaks to our mission to be a leader in infusion therapy, particularly in areas as complex as oncology. Congratulations to the nurses and team at INVIVA on this important accreditation driven by your hard work, and feedback from our patients and medical peers!”

McKesson Canada's INVIVA clinics successfully completed the Qmentum Accreditation Program and received full accreditation at all locations across Canada now through December 2026.

About INVIVA

Established in 2013, today INVIVA is Canada's largest private infusion network with 76 INVIVA clinics that provide patients with specialized therapy in a caring and compassionate setting. INVIVA experts work directly with manufacturers to bring specialty therapies and nursing services to patients in need while improving access. They engage with health care providers to improve the patient experience and make it easier for everyone to manage complex diseases. Its team of highly trained seasoned nurses help manage various therapeutic areas, including gastroenterology, rheumatology, geriatrics, pediatrics, and more. In 2023, INVIVA was awarded accreditations in Cancer Care, Ambulatory Care, Home Care Services, Leadership, Infection Prevention and Control, and Medication Management making it the only national private infusion network with accreditation.

About McKesson Canada

MISSISSAUGA, ON, February 2023 – McKesson Canada is proud to announce today that it has been recognized as one of "Montreal's Top Employers" for 2023 by the editors of Mediacorp Canada Inc. marking the sixth consecutive year that the company has received this award.

“We are proud that McKesson has been recognized as a top employer in Montreal for the sixth year in a row, where we play an important role in this dynamic city. People join McKesson Canada because they want to contribute to our mission to advance the health outcomes of all Canadians. Employees stay because of our values and a deep sense of belonging, built through an unwavering commitment to our purpose and to the customer. Congratulations to Team McKesson for this extraordinary achievement and thank you for making our company a great place to work!” said Joan Eliasek, President of McKesson Canada.

McKesson Canada has introduced a number of new and innovative tools over the years to help employees develop their career, grow the company, and feel empowered to contribute. Some of those include:

Professional development

• At McKesson, we believe in our competency “Grow Self and Others”. Engrained in the company culture is a commitment to development and professional growth supported by tools and resources such as employee training programs, people leader training focused on team development, succession planning, educational assistance, a comprehensive learning portal and learning on the job to name a few. 

Engagement

• Inclusion and diversity networks open to all McKesson Canada employees as we continue to build a workplace where each of us can bring our whole self to work and where our diversity of backgrounds and experience is valued.
• McKesson Café, our online networking platform where employees can meet new people from across the organization.
• Workplace flexibility that promotes balance is key to McKesson Canada’s success as a top employer facilitated by our current Office as a Destination model.

Charitable giving

• McKesson Canada employees can take advantage of charitable donation matching and volunteering grants available to eligible charities.

Health and wellness options

• Generous health benefits, including the virtual medicine service, EQ Care.
• Employee and family assistance program, for free counselling, nutritional, legal, and financial advice.
• A mental health coach, who supports employees to navigate challenging situations.

In addition to the "Montreal's Top Employers" 2023 award, McKesson Canada was awarded the Women in Governance Parity Certification which recognizes organizations that are leading the way in achieving gender parity both in 2021 and in 2022.

Top Montreal Employer Award

First published in 2006, Montréal's Top Employers is an annual competition organized by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers. This special designation recognizes the employers in Greater Montréal that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Employers are evaluated by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers using the same eight criteria as the national competition: (1) Physical Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement. Employers are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offer the most progressive and forward-thinking programs. Any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Greater Montreal may apply for this competition. Employers of any size may apply, whether private or public sector.

About McKesson Canada

McKesson Canada is a diversified health-care services leader dedicated to advancing health outcomes for patients. Our teams partner with pharmaceutical companies, care providers, pharmacies, manufacturers, governments, and others to deliver products, services and insights to help make quality care more accessible and affordable.

Mississauga, ON - Feb 9, 2023 - McKesson Canada is pleased to announce the appointment of veteran executive Joan Eliasek as President of McKesson Canada. Eliasek succeeds Rebecca McKillican who has led the company since August 2020.

Eliasek’s wealth of leadership experience spans over 25 years within the healthcare sector and McKesson Corporation, having held senior leadership roles in areas ranging from operations, marketing, supplier management to extended care sales and customer experience.

As President, Eliasek leads McKesson's diversified portfolio of healthcare businesses in Canada including pharmaceutical distribution operations, biopharma and provider solutions, McKesson's network of independent pharmacies (I.D.A., Guardian, Remedy'sRx, The Medicine Shoppe, Uniprix and Proxim), e-commerce retailer Well.ca, and the Rexall Pharmacy Group.

“I am honoured to be leading a passionate team dedicated to improving the health outcomes of Canadians,” Eliasek said.  “McKesson Canada is an essential part of the Canadian healthcare system, whether we are delivering much needed medications to patients across the country, strengthening our supply chain systems, or helping patients navigate specialized medication therapies. As healthcare becomes increasingly more complex, our position within the healthcare ecosystem offers us a unique opportunity to make a positive and lasting impact.”

Eliasek holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Business Administration from the University of Iowa. She has served on several boards in the healthcare industry, including the Healthcare Industry Distributors Association (HIDA), the HIDA Educational Foundation and the Global Healthcare Exchange. She also served as a long-time advisor to the Professional Women in Healthcare (PWH) board. In 2018, she was recognized as the first recipient of the Anne Eiting Klamar Leadership Award of Distinction and in 2023 she is being named to the Medical Distributor Hall of Fame by Repertoire Magazine.

About McKesson Canada

Mississauga, ON (January 17, 2023) - Pharmacists at McKesson Canada’s independent pharmacy network including Guardian, I.D.A, Remedy'sRx and The Medicine Shoppe in Ontario can now prescribe and treat 13 minor conditions, including cold sores, pink eye, hemorrhoids, hives and urinary tract infections, among others.

Patients can now walk into their local pharmacy and receive assessment and treatment from their pharmacist for the following 13 conditions:

• hay fever
• oral thrush
• pink eye
• dermatitis
• menstrual cramps
• acid reflux 
• hemorrhoids
• cold sores
• impetigo
• insect bites and hives
• tick bites
• sprains and strains
• urinary tract infections (UTIs)

By allowing pharmacists to support patients with these needs, it increases access to quality care and takes pressure off the health system like hospitals, primary care clinics and emergency rooms.

"Our independent pharmacists at Guardian, I.D.A., Remedy'sRx and The Medicine Shoppe are standing by to help provide greater convenience and choice for their patients to obtain quality healthcare services where they need them the most,” says Smita Patil, Vice President, Retail Member Relations and Professional Affairs at McKesson Canada. “By using their expertise to assess and treat minor conditions, pharmacists help patients get the care they need sooner and closer to home.”

About McKesson Canada

McKesson Canada is a diversified health-care services leader dedicated to advancing health outcomes for patients. Our teams partner with pharmaceutical companies, care providers, pharmacies, manufacturers, governments, and others to deliver products, services and insights to help make quality care more accessible and affordable.