Press Releases

Toronto, ON (October 24, 2024) – Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, part of University Health Network in Toronto, has partnered with McKesson Canada to implement best practices for the delivery of high-quality care to cancer patients who receive treatment in the organization’s network of community infusion clinics.  

As part of their cancer journey, some oncology patients use independent, community-based infusion clinics, which can offer a wider variety of treatment options for patients and provide access to leading edge medicines. This partnership will benefit patients and ensure they receive the same level of seamless, high-quality care at McKesson Canada’s INVIVA clinics as they do at Princess Margaret.   

To date, formal relationships between community infusion clinics and cancer centres have been limited. Before launching the partnership, Princess Margaret conducted a comprehensive inspection of McKesson Canada’s oncology services, which are accredited by Accreditation Canada, including its infusion clinics and pharmacy at its central Toronto location. With the partnership now in place, Princess Margaret and McKesson Canada look forward to working together to align quality standards. 

About Princess Margaret Cancer Centre 

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

Montreal, QC (February 27, 2024) – For the seventh consecutive year, McKesson Canada has been recognized as one of Montreal's Top Employers for 2024. The award is in recognition of the organization’s leading practices and benefits that enable employees to take charge of their health and wellbeing, its charitable giving, and for creating a flexible work culture where employees feel welcomed, valued and included.

“At McKesson Canada, our amazing talent are innovative and driven thinkers representing a wealth of backgrounds, perspectives, and experience,” says Joan Eliasek, President, McKesson Canada. 

“Together, we set the foundation for an outstanding work culture that draws on the richness of our diverse viewpoints and skillsets to help us grow, personally and professionally; foster a sense of belonging; and advance health outcomes for all.”

McKesson Canada plays a pivotal role in Canadian healthcare by providing solutions to manufacturers, pharmacies, hospitals and various healthcare institutions who serve the needs of patients every day. It brings together clinical knowledge, process expertise, technology and resources to help customers and partners fundamentally change the cost and quality of healthcare in Canada.  

What sets McKesson Canada apart
Montreal’s Top Employers evaluated McKesson Canada in a number of categories, including community involvement, physical workplace and work atmosphere, as well as work environment and culture.

MISSISSAUGA, ON - January 11, 2024 - Hoffmann-La Roche Limited (Roche Canada) is proud to announce a dynamic collaboration with McKesson Canada (McKesson) which has resulted in solutions that will optimize the patient journey and potentially shorten overall time to therapy.

The two industry leaders brought collaborative teams together for an intensive six-week innovation challenge aimed at removing barriers, enhancing the patient experience, streamlining administrative processes, and expediting reimbursement within existing patient support programs. This collaboration demanded a creative approach to strategically design solutions within the constraints of available resources.

When a patient is diagnosed with a chronic condition or disease like Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or cancer, it can be challenging to navigate the complex healthcare systems. Patient Support Programs (PSPs) work to simplify the process and ease the patient’s experience.

“Roche created this innovation challenge to explore what could be possible in the patient support program space and to see what - with an open-minded partner like McKesson Canada - we could do differently, better, faster for patients,” said Roger Tam, Vice President, Legal, Compliance, and Innovation at Roche Canada. “Design thinking empowered Roche Canada and McKesson Canada employees to frame opportunities and create solutions that will deliver significant value to all stakeholders, especially patients.”

The innovation challenge culminated in a pitch competition, where teams presented their proposals to a seasoned panel of leaders from both Roche Canada and McKesson Canada. The pitches underwent rigorous evaluation, resulting in the prioritization of the highest-scoring proposal for implementation over the next six to 12 months. Ultimately, the panel found all solutions to be compelling enough for implementation; it was simply a matter of determining the optimal timeline for each.

The two winning innovations addressed the cumbersome administrative challenges experienced by both patients and healthcare providers during PSP enrolment. Through streamlined processes, these solutions not only minimize time and redundancy for all stakeholders but also significantly accelerate access to vital therapies.

“When you have a patient with a complex disease, you do everything you can to get them to critical treatment as fast as you can,” said Rebecca Yu, Vice President/General Manager, Biopharma Operations & Customer Experience, McKesson Canada. “The Roche McKesson Innovation Challenge shows what is possible when you change your approach, share a common goal and come together with committed partners. We are tremendously proud of our teams and inspired by the value they have created with new solutions that will positively impact care and experience for patients!”

McKesson Canada is a Patient Support Program partner to Roche Canada and works to simplify a patient’s health journey by helping them to navigate the various healthcare systems, including supporting the administration process to ensure timely access to treatment.

The success of this innovation challenge not only underscores Roche Canada and McKesson Canada’s ability to swiftly implement ideas but also marks a pivotal step towards fostering a proactive culture of idea sharing, collaboration and innovation. Roche Canada and McKesson remain committed to revolutionizing PSPs and setting a new standard for excellence in patient care and experience.
 

About Roche Canada
Patients and science are at the heart of everything we do. At Roche, our passion for science and our commitment to relentlessly pursuing the impossible for patients has made us one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical, in vitro diagnostics, and healthcare technology companies. And we’re adding our expertise in new areas, such as artificial intelligence, real world data collection and analysis and collaborating with many different sectors and industries.

We're an innovator across major disease areas, including oncology, infectious diseases, diabetes, ophthalmology, and diseases of the central nervous system.

Supporting British Columbia’s Future Health

Surrey, BC (June 8, 2023) – To support British Columbia’s rising healthcare needs, McKesson Canada opens a new state-of-the-art, 233,000 square-foot facility in Surrey, British Columbia (BC). The new distribution centre (DC) delivers pharmaceutical medications, vaccines, specialty pharmaceuticals, and over-the-counter products to over 1,300 hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies across BC. McKesson Specialty Pharmacy on site manages complex specialty medications, providing quality care for patients across the province.

- New 233,000 square-foot facility ensures expanded capacity to support provincial medication delivery needs long-term and strengthens medication delivery infrastructure

- McKesson Canada’s new distribution centre features industry-leading automation to accelerate fulfillment and increase efficiency and productivity

- Integration of on-site Specialty Pharmacy campus ensures support in rise of complex therapies

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.

McKesson EvolveHealth Digital Ecosystem offers innovative solutions at every step of the specialty patient journey

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 17, 2022 - McKesson Canada's Biopharma and Provider Solutions business is proud to share the launch of McKesson's EvolveHealth Digital Ecosystem (EvolveHealth). EvolveHealth is a suite of digital solutions designed to seamlessly connect health care providers, private payers, specialty patients, and pharmaceutical companies to help simplify and enhance the patient experience and deliver better patient outcomes.

Today, McKesson Canada’s retail banner group pharmacies, including Guardian, I.D.A, Remedy'sRx and The Medicine Shoppe launched their annual flu shot campaign.

 “Our independently owned community pharmacies are ready to deliver the flu vaccine to Canadians who wish to protect themselves and their loved ones,” said Smita Patil, Vice-President of Retail Member Relations and Professional Affairs, McKesson Canada. “Canadians should feel assured knowing their local pharmacist will be able to provide flu shots with high quality care, knowledge, and a safe environment that prioritizes the health and well-being of patients.”

Every year, tens of thousands of Canadians get sick with the flu. While most people will recover after contracting the flu, it can be life-threating for people at high risk such as children, seniors, and those with chronic health conditions.

Getting vaccinated against the flu every year is an important part of keeping Canadians healthy. The vaccine not only protects individuals against some strains of the virus, but also reduces the severity of symptoms for those who do get the flu.  It takes a community to prevent the spread of influenza and for about every 20 people that get a vaccine, one case is prevented.

Montréal (Québec), le 5 octobre 2022 — Les pharmacies affiliées à Proxim et Uniprix lancent leur campagne annuelle de vaccination contre la grippe.

« Au cours des dernières années, nos pharmaciens communautaires ont su démontrer qu’ils sont partie intégrante du système de santé québécois », a déclaré Erick Gagné, président-directeur général, Proxim et Uniprix. « Après avoir participé à l’effort de vaccination contre la COVID-19, les pharmaciens sont prêts, encore cette année, à vacciner les Québécois qui souhaitent se protéger et protéger leurs proches contre la grippe. »

L'activité grippale dans l'hémisphère Sud ayant été plus précoce par rapport aux années précédentes, la campagne de vaccination contre l'influenza a été devancée cette année et débutera le 5 octobre. Chaque année, des milliers de Québécois souffrent de la grippe, ce qui engorge davantage les hôpitaux et le système de santé. Bien que la plupart des gens se rétablissent après avoir contracté la grippe, celle-ci peut menacer la vie des personnes à risque, notamment celle des enfants, des aînés et des personnes atteintes de maladies chroniques.

Mississauga, ON, October 18, 2021 — Today, McKesson Canada’s retail banner group pharmacies, including Guardian®, I.D.A®, Remedy'sRx® and The Medicine Shoppe® launched their annual flu shot campaign.

“Our independently owned community pharmacies are at the ready, more than ever following a successful COVID-19 vaccination campaign, to deliver the flu vaccine to Canadians who wish to protect themselves and their loved ones,” said Elyse Desmeules Vice-President of Member and Retail Pharmacy Services, McKesson Canada. “Canadians should feel assured knowing their local pharmacist will be able to provide flu shots with high quality care, knowledge, and a safe environment that prioritizes the health and well-being of patients.”

Every year, tens of thousands of Canadians get sick with the flu, putting extra pressure on hospitals and health care systems across the country, which have been strained by the COVID-19 pandemic. While most people will recover after contracting the flu, it can be life-threating for people at high risk such as children, seniors, and those with chronic health conditions.

McKesson Canada's banner pharmacies are introducing safety measures to ensure patients feel safe and secure when receiving their flu shot. Depending on participating locations, this may include appointment scheduling, increased sanitation measures and hand sanitizing stations. Local guidelines implemented to protect the public against COVID-19 will also continue to be adhered to, including physical distancing, reduced store capacity and the wearing of face masks or coverings.

Industry-leading partnership with Auxita simplifies the specialty patient journey

MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 16, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, McKesson Canada is pleased to announce Canada's most robust set of integrated digital solutions intended to enhance specialty physicians' ability to support their patients through their entire healthcare journey. This initiative builds on our ongoing efforts to provide better digital offerings for Canadians.

Enhanced health and safety measures implemented to keep patients and employees protected during flu season

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 5, 2020 /CNW/ - Today, McKesson Canada's Retail Banner Group, which includes pharmacies under Guardian®, IDA®, Remedy's Rx® and The Medicine Shoppe® banners, are launching their annual flu shot campaign.

"Community pharmacists play an integral role in our healthcare system, forming a critical part in the fight against the spread of communicable diseases," said George Jeffrey, Senior Vice-President, Retail Banner Group, McKesson Canada.  "This year, McKesson Canada's banner pharmacies are introducing safety measures in addition to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, to ensure patients feel secure when receiving their flu shot."

It is widely anticipated that this year, there will be significant demand for the flu shot, as Canadians actively do their part to protect themselves and their loved ones this flu season. Guardian®, IDA®, Remedy's Rx® and The Medicine Shoppe® are implementing several new tools to help facilitate an easier, more efficient and safe flu shot process this year, including:

• Appointment scheduling*
• Flu best practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as social distancing, personal protective equipment, capacity limits and disinfection during flu immunization;
• Enhanced pharmacist education through webinars on best practices;
• QR code accessible electronic flu consent forms*

*in participating pharmacies only

The flu shot protects individuals against some strains of influenza virus and can be passed on before showing symptoms. This increases the likelihood of patients requiring physician office visits, potential hospital stays or in some cases, death. Getting vaccinated against the flu every year is an important part of keeping Canadians healthy. Contact your local community pharmacist today to schedule your free flu vaccine.

McKesson Canada supports Government of Ontario decision to allow COVID-19 testing in pharmacies

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Sept. 23, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - As the fight against COVID-19 continues, select Rexall and McKesson Canada's Retail Banner Group (Guardian®, IDA®, the Medicine Shoppe®, Remedy's Rx®) Ontario pharmacies will begin providing COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic individuals. In order to protect the health and safety of customers, patients and employees, COVID-19 testing within pharmacies must be made through appointment only.

"Pharmacists are increasingly taking on expanded roles in the Canadian healthcare system, while being recognized as essential partners in care delivery," said Rebecca McKillican, CEO, McKesson Canada. "We welcome today's news from the Government of Ontario, instilling confidence in our pharmacists as they continually step up on the frontlines to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities."

McKesson Canada is currently supporting COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic patients in Alberta, where IDA®, Guardian®, Remedy's Rx®, the Medicine Shoppe® and Rexall® pharmacies were early adopters as part of the province's original pilot program. McKesson Canada's network of participating pharmacies have conducted thousands of tests to date, and will use the training, tools, and supports developed to ensure best practices are implemented in Ontario.  

"Community pharmacists are proud to be supporting the province's efforts in the fight against COVID-19," continued McKillican. "Increasing the availability of testing is an important step to protect families, loved ones, and the people we encounter on a daily basis."