Travellers from Canada may find themselves accessing medical care in other countries due to a medical emergency as a result of an injury or illness.  While this might sound simple enough, it can become very complex, very quickly.   Depending on where you are travelling to, there can be specific medical protocols, language barriers, along with medical personnel that might be pressuring you into making a quick decision with little available information about the health care professional (or provider), or no opportunity to consult anyone.  If your medical situation allow ..read more

We know how scary it can be to fall ill while travelling. Read through the below story about how Paige, our founder, CEO and devoted advocate, helped someone navigate a complex health system. Getting sick while travelling was an intensely scary experience for me.  An experience I don’t think I would’ve made it through if it weren’t for my advocate, Paige Lennox, at CHAI. In February of 2022, eating a simple chicken quesadilla at a beach restaurant in Yelapa, Mexico forever changed the course of my life. I was hospitalized shortly after, suffering from extreme dehydration due to diarrhea ..read more

A medical appointment may cause strong emotions: anxiety, frustration, anger, even terror. How do you manage those strong feelings and remain calm ?    Here are ways to reduce the risk  of not being properly informed about your condition,  ways to ensure you get the care you need, ways to reduce the risk of being “fired as a patient.”  How to Managing Emotions in a Medical Appointment Before you go,  write down your questions . If you become too upset to talk, hand the written list over to your doctor to read. If you notice a strong reaction, take a deep breath a ..read more

Canadian Health Advocates Inc. (CHAI) has a growing network of health advocates across Canada. Our advocates have years of experience in different health and wellness backgrounds, and have developed a deep understanding of the best way to navigate the healthcare system across multiple provinces including Alberta. Whether you are in rural areas of Alberta like Lacombe, Stetler, Longview, Ponoka, and Black Diamond, or larger city centres like Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge or Fort McMurray – our Alberta based advocates can help ensure you or your loved one access the highest level of pu ..read more

Healthcare Navigation Oftentimes, the biggest challenge with healthcare is dealing with all of the little stuff. Perhaps it is ensuring your loved ones get to an appointment on time, getting medical records transferred, resolving a claim, or trying to book with a specialist. We might also be asking ourselves if we should attend appointments for loved ones that are in our care, or when the best time to go is. In some cases, it’s the bigger, more daunting issues like dealing with a new diagnosis, or trying to find the right people to talk to regarding an ill or aging parent. This can all add up ..read more

Every day we are seeing new changes from the Government to the policies, orders and notices regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and this directly affects the way that health care services are delivered. In order to minimize the impact of a potential exposure, healthcare systems are adjusting the way they evaluate and care for patients which do not typically allow for anyone to attend essential appointments with you. The information that is relayed to you can often be overwhelming, and without the right tools, you might not know how to properly manage that information which can have a di ..read more

Navigating the Canadian healthcare system can be challenging, especially if you are currently ill, hospitalized, or at a distance from aging parents. Hospitals, medical professionals, a new diagnosis that you are trying to process, along with being confused about your rights can be very overwhelming. As our healthcare system becomes increasingly more complex and overstretched, patients can easily fall through the cracks. This can lead to misdiagnosis, avoidable delays in treatment, and a host of other potential challenges. The good news is you don’t have to navigate through this maze on your o ..read more

As a business owner, employee health is your business, no matter the industry. Your employees are key contributors to the success of your company and right now, they are maintaining these impeccable standards during a pandemic. As our world becomes more complex due to a new normal, so do the responsibilities and stressors for your employees.  Two major factors affecting productive employees are absenteeism and presenteeism. If you are unfamiliar with presenteeism, it occurs when employees show up for work, even though they may not be physically or emotionally capable of carrying out their ..read more