DynaLife

DynaLife —the largest private healthcare organization in Alberta—is headquartered in Edmonton, where it originated as Dynacare Kasper Medical Laboratories (DKML), in the 1980s. It is locally-managed and partly owned by its American partner company—South-Carolina headquartered Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp), who acquired Dynacare in 2002. DynaLife has over a thousand employees working at its central laboratory in Edmonton, and in over 26 patient care centres in northern Alberta. DynaLife, offers a number of diagnostic testing services. Jason Pincock, who began working at DKML in 1996, has been serving as DynaLIFEDx's CEO since 2012.
Background.
Health City described DynaLIFE Medical Labs as " locally managed" from its Edmonton facilities, where it performs 14 million tests annually, providing "diagnostic laboratory services" to over two thousand doctors and one million patients a year.
Dynalifedx, which provides "professional analytic or diagnostic services for the medical profession", was established in 1995. Clients included "patients, physicians, hospitals and pharmaceutical, government and industrial clients." Dynacare Kasper Medical Laboratories was renamed DynaLIFE Diagnostics (DynaLIFEDx) on March 11, 2008 to "reflect the expanding role of medical diagnostic laboratories and laboratory professionals in the health and wellness" industry.
By 2020, DynaLIFE was working in central and northern Alberta in partnership with Alberta Health Services and providing services to the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and clients in other parts of Canada. Along with diagnostic DynaLife services include management, consulting regarding hospital operations. Along with the central laboratory in Edmonton, DynaLife has over 26 patient care centres.
In a 2013 presentation at the Executive War College, DynaLife's Norma Page described technological innovations at DynaLIFEDxthat transformed microbiology through the use of automation.
In 2014, the Progressive Conservative government wanted to award an Australian company the lucrative contract that DynaLife had for decades, which created a controversy.
By 2020, Dynalife lab was conducting 70% of all tests in Edmonton and northern communities. In Calgary, Alberta Precision Laboratories, which is publicly owned and operated does most of the testing. Concerns were raised in the fall of 2020, when Alberta Premier "took the first big step toward privatization in health care" by outsourcing public health sector jobs. The next cuts will be in community lab testing, where "about 2,000 workers are expected to “transition” to the private provider." At the same time that Kenny was announcing privatization plans, Pincock came to Calgary to announce that Dynalife would be offering paid voluntary COVID-19 tests for departing travellers at $150 per test. The Calgary Herald said that Dynalife is the preferred choice for Alberta's private lab services when the public health service is outsourced.
Administration.
Jason Pincock, who is CEO of DynaLife, began working with Edmonton-based Dynacare Kasper Medical Laboratories (DKML), Alberta's "primary medical diagnostic laboratory" in 1996. In 1996, DKML was operating as part of the Boyle McCauley Health Centre—the "first community based health centre in Alberta" in Edmonton. By 2002, Dynacare, just before LabCorp's takeover, had become the largest central clinical laboratory in western Canada, with a revenue in 2001 of $402.4-million and a profit of $11.7-million. Pincock worked with Alberta's Regional Health Authorities, negotiating multi-year contracts for DKML with the Health Authorities. Pincock has served as Dynalife Diagnostics CEO since 2012. It is currently one of Alberta’s largest private healthcare organizations.
Greg Rozak, a manager at Dynalife Dx, has worked for the company since 1982.
Ownership.
In 2002, Burlington, North Carolina-headquartered-Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LabCorp)—a major clinical lab provider with a revenue in 2001 of US$2.2 billion, acquired Dynacare Laboratories. LabCorp purchased all of Dynacare's outstanding shares US$480-million assumed Dynacare's debt of US$205 million. At the time of purchase, Dynacare medical laboratories provided services in Canada and in 21 American states. The "Globe and Mail" reported that the takeover would not have an affect on "Dynacare's operational partnerships with Gamma NorthPeel and Bio-Science Laboratory in Ontario and with Kasper Medical Laboratories and MDS Laboratories in Alberta".
Investors.
One of Canada's largest institutional investors, Ontario's pension fund—Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), has invested in DynaLife since 2007.
Dynacare.
Dynacare, which is a division of the Laboratory Corporation of America, has its headquarters in Brampton, Ontario, and laboratories in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba. Dynacare also runs over 200 Laboratory and Health Services Centres in Alberta, and other provinces.
In 1987, Dynacare Health Group acquired its first diagnostic laboratory—Quality Medical Laboratories and established Dynacare Laboratories. By 2015, Dynacare was part of the Central Medical Laboratories (CML)—established in 1959 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Dynacare was formed with the formation of an "operational partnership" in 1997 between Ontario's Bio-Science Laboratory and Gamma North Peel Partnership Inc. Gamma North Peel Partnership Inc, which had been established in 1968, was operating from a single medical building. Gamma Biopath Laboratory expanded to include "diagnostic imaging and computerized health assessment services" and opened "several patient services centres in the Greater Toronto, Hamilton and Stoney Creek areas of Ontario". Gamma Biopath Laboratory expanded to include "diagnostic imaging and computerized health assessment services" and opened "several patient services centres in the Greater Toronto, Hamilton and Stoney Creek areas of Ontario".
The 1994 Alberta Regional Health Authorities Act had created "new opportunities for contracting out both the management and delivery of public healthcare services to private business in lieu of public or non-profit agencies." The Regional Health Authorities that were created through the 1994 Act, were given the authority to "create subsidiary corporations and delegate responsibilities, powers and duties to either public, private or hybrid agencies." In response to 1994 Act, Dynacare Kasper Medical Laboratories and MDS Kasper in southern Alberta, merged into "two large corporate entities or virtual private monopolies for contracting purposes." A 2009 Alberta Consumers Association report raised concerns that this merger had left "smaller companies out in the cold".
In 2002, Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp) acquired Dynacare Laboratories—one of the Dynacare partners—for US$480-million, while also assuming Dynacare debt worth $205-million.
In 2008, DynaLIFEDx worked "closely with Regional Health Authorities in central and northern Alberta" to "provides testing and consulting services for other clients across Canada." By 2008, DynaLIFEDx had "over 800 laboratory technologists and assistants working in more than forty sites."
By June 2020, Dynalife was operating 36 private laboratories in the Edmonton area and northern Alberta and had a contract with the Alberta government that is set to expire in 2022. In June 2020, Alberta Health Services, announced plans to outsource public community laboratory services to private companies.
When Gamma-Dynacare acquired LifeLabs Quebec, it became the leading provider of medical laboratory testing in Canada.
In May 2013, Bloomberg Businessweek listed Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories as a company that "offers laboratory services to patients, health care professionals, and corporate clients, including the collection and transportation of specimens, testing, and reporting of results" that "serves clients throughout Southeastern Canada and surrounding areas".
In 2013, DynaLife Medical Labs partnered with Dynacare, which operates laboratories in Alberta and across Canada.
In 2015, Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories rebranded itself back to Dynacare reflecting its "broadened focus on providing health and wellness solutions." Dynacare President and CEO, Naseem Somani, said that the name—Dynacare—connects the future and the past. Since 2005, Dynacare has been "diversifying and growing" and by 2015, according to Somani, had become a leader in "Canada's health and wellness solutions".
By 2015, Winnipeg, Manitoba-based Central Medical Laboratories (CML) was an important division in the Dynacare group of companies.
In 2019, Dynacare was described as a LabCorp company, that is "continually developing new programs and services, including "home care services, and Dynacare Plus, an easy-to-use online portal where individuals can understand their lab test results and manage their health." Dynacare had "the largest and most advanced menu of diagnostic and screening tests in Canada." Dynacare Insurance Solutions "provide specialized testing and paramedical services for the insurance industry."
Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories.
Brampton, Ontario-based, Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories—with clients in Southeastern Canada and surrounding areas", "provides laboratory services and solutions" They offer "laboratory services to patients, health care professionals, and corporate clients, including the collection and transportation of specimens, testing, and reporting of results." In April 2019, Vito Ciciretto, who served as Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories's Vice President of Operations from January 2009 until November 2018, became Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories's CEO.
DynaLIFEDx.
Dynalifedx, which was established in 1995, provides "professional analytic or diagnostic services for the medical profession". On March 11, 2008, the name of the Dynacare Kasper Medical Laboratories—"Edmonton's primary medical diagnostic laboratory"—was changed to DynaLIFE Diagnostics (DynaLIFEDx)—to "reflect the expanding role of medical diagnostic laboratories and laboratory professionals in the health and wellness" industry.
CanadaMedAxio Insurance Medical Services.
According to "Bloomberg", a division of DynaCare, the Toronto-based CanadaMedAxio™ Insurance Medical Services, provides the life insurance industry across Canada with medical information on potential clients by performing "paramedical examinations", often by telephone.
Health City.
Pincock has been chair of Health City Edmonton—an "arms-length, not-for-profit organization" with the goal of "health innovation" in the Edmonton area. since 2018. Other board members include Randy Yatscoff and Mel Wong, BioAlberta's CEO.