Law Times

PAGE 4 NEWS march 23, 2009 • Law Times Firms invest in partner health BY DARYL-LYNN CARLSON For Law Times have cheated death — not once, but at least three times now. That, says Sharon Mitchell, I t can be said that partners at the national law firm Gowl- ing Lafleur Henderson LLP the firm's chief operating offi- cer, is hardly a dramatization. For almost seven years, Gowl- ings has been offering its part- ners health assessments at pri- vate clinics as a perk. The clinics provide medi- cal checkups that are far more thorough than a standard visit to one's family physician that is covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. The investment by the firm has paid off. One young woman partner was diagnosed with early stages of breast cancer, a young male partner learned he had pros- tate cancer, and another attended his appointment presenting symp- toms that indicated he was in the throes of having a heart attack. All three of the partners have recovered, although Mitchell says it's probable none would have been diagnosed through an OHIP-covered visit to their family physician, as they likely wouldn't have been tested for their respective illnesses due to their age or likewise wouldn't have thought it necessary to even see a physician at all. "We have had a number of partners who, because they've been diagnosed early, have been able to prevent a potentially life- threatening illness and get treat- ment," says Mitchell. Offering examinations at private health clinics is an increasingly popular perk as law firms and companies strive to keep their top perform- ers healthy and stress-free. Typically, private clinics such thorough medical as Ageless in Toronto, Medcan Health Management Inc., Me- disys Health Group, or La Vie Executive Health Centre, charge between $1,200 and $2,000 for a medical examination. The head- to-toe checkup includes electro- cardiogram and stress testing, an ultrasound of all vital organs, pulmo- nary studies, bone density surveys, a prostate or gyneco- logical assessment, blood tests, and a check of both hear- ing and vision. It also includes nutritional a sessment and ad- vice on how to become proactive to prevent any ill- ness the physicians at the clinic have determined the patient is prone to. The examination takes roughly as- Sharon Mitchell four to five hours, albeit in a relax- ing, sometimes pampering setting and there's no time wasted waiting for the physician's availability. Workplaces see value in en- suring their top performers are healthy, recognizing that the long-term absence of any part- ner or key executive can be det- rimental to business and well exceed the cost of the checkup agement group respectively four years earlier. At Gowlings, also obtain a corporate rate for family members to attend a pri- vate clinic of their choice, says Mitchell. She personally has attended the partners can investment. Mercer LLC human resource consultancy found that in Canada, 72 per cent of CEOs and presidents, along with 68 per cent of senior ex- ecutives were be- ing offered private clinic medical ex- ams by their work- places in 2006 –– a marked increase from just 42 per cent and 37 per cent for each man- of people, are very busy and in- stead of having to go to the doc- tor and then going for blood tests or other tests somewhere else, they can do it all at once. Some- times you can wait months to get in for some tests. Having healthy partners contributes to the firm's health and its ability to provide service at the highest level." She adds, however, that the Medcan's private clinic for an an- nual checkup for several years now. "We feel it's not only a benefit to the partners, but also to the firm," she says. "Lawyers, like lots Visit us online! canadianlawyermag.com lawtimesnews.com checkups are not mandated and not all the partners yet take ad- vantage of the benefit, although based on the results of several younger partners, she wishes more would. "You never used to hear about stuff that goes on that you do nowadays with younger people," says Mitchell. "Is it the environment? It's really quite as- tonishing when you hear some of the things that people are experi- encing in a large firm like ours." While a lawyer's health or medical history is not an under- writing criterion for professional insurance, Duncan Gosnell, vice president of underwriting for LawPRO, commends the perk. "For insurance purposes, there is neither an advantage or disad- vantage in undertaking regular medical checkups," says Gosnell. "However, we do know that law- yers are exposed to high levels of stress on a daily basis, and that stress is a contributing factor in many LawPRO claims. Stress can result in misuse or addic- tion to drugs or alcohol, physical challenges, and relationship and mental wellness issues." He points out that through its practicePRO risk manage- ment program, LawPRO strives to provide lawyers with informa- tion and resources that help them manage stress, and achieve more healthy and balanced lifestyles. "To the extent that medical checkups can help iden- tify stress-related issues that could affect lawyers' health and work/ life balance — and potentially their law practice — we would encourage lawyers to take ad- vantage of these opportunities," Gosnell says. LawPRO also helps fund the regular Ontario Lawyers' Assistance Program that provides confi- dential, peer-to-peer counselling to lawyers experiencing stress- related problems. Still, facilitat- ing prevention can be a valuable investment, particularly in the current economic climate. "Financial and strain is caused when a key per- son, employee, partner, or owner is off work for a significant pe- riod of time or unable to return to work at all due to a serious illness," says Catherine Gaudet, vice president of operations at Ageless in Toronto's private exec- utive clinic located in Vaughan. "As a business owner, co-own- emotional Fresh content delivered weekly. Canadian Lawyer Law Times 4Students InHouse House-Online_LT_Mar16_09.indd 1 www.lawtimesnews.com 3/11/09 2:45:27 PM er, or partner with a family, you have a number of people relying on you for a secure lifestyle." Gaudet acknowledges the cli- ent list at Ageless is growing despite the slumping economy, a factor she attributes to the rising recognition that the cost of replacing a partner or redistributing their caseload far outweighs the investment in pre- ventive health measures. have a financial strain on the business." "The loss of one person can LT

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