London Inc. April 2022 - 32

COVE R
Murchison with Medpoint phlebotomist, Anna DeFelice
honeycomb layout of medical and health services.
It occupies 10,500 square feet in Sifton's West Five development.
There's also 2,800 square feet of gym space where
clients exercise under the care of personal trainers. The fitness
footprint is likely to double sometime this year.
" We've told Sifton whenever there's space available, we
want it, " Hanham says.
That's a far cry from three years ago, when much of his
energy was spent trying to bridge the considerable gap
between Medpoint's original vision and the plans its new
owners had for the place.
The sale was not a cash grab. The pitch to the couple was
an opportunity to spread its style of personalized, prevention-focused
medicine across the country. From day one,
Medpoint has offered patients an opportunity to pay for
enhanced medical care - standard OHIP care plus a battery
of prevention programs and services, centred on a regular
physical check-up of three, four or five hours. Costs are
roughly $2,000/year for individuals. Spouses pay slightly
less. Children are free or substantially cheaper.
The service was popular from day one, but demand has
exploded during the pandemic. " We are closing in on 1,000
memberships, " Hanham says, and we've seen 30 per cent
growth in memberships in the last six months. I get 25 emails
every day from people inquiring about what we do. " There are
about 300 corporate members as well; companies may offer
the service to top executives or other employees.
" We have an average of 80,000 to 100,000 patient visits per
year, " Hanham adds. " And we're closing in on 1,500 executive
medicals per year. "
To those who dislike a system that allows people to pay for
more extensive treatment and guaranteed access, Hanham
acknowledges the inequality. " I can't fix the healthcare system, "
he says in a resigned tone, neither abrasive nor confrontational.
He saw the sale of the company and plans for
national medi-centres as a potential solution for the country,
and no one suffered more than him when it didn't happen.
Two years ago, there were 482 family doctors in London,
according to both the Ontario College of Family Physicians
and the Ontario Medical Association, which cite the same
study when asked for stats. Neither body has more recent
32|londonincmagazine.ca|APRIL 2022
numbers, but Hanham knows exactly what's happened
during the pandemic.
" London has lost about 20 family doctors since Covid
began, " he says. Some have retired. Some have cut their practices
way back. Others meet patients virtually and have no
plans to come back in-person. Either way, he says that leaves
several thousand people without a family doctor. " And it's
going to get worse. We have an aging population of doctors. "
He also says there's been a loss of skilled technicians
throughout the healthcare system. " And we have a huge
backlog in surgeries. Plus, there are seniors who haven't
emerged from their houses in two years. They will come in
to see their doctor and have multiple ailments. I don't think
it's an exaggeration to call it a tidal wave. "
As a result, Medpoint is committed to growth - this time
on its own terms. It has added an ergonomics division that
assesses injuries and pains and sells equipment to alleviate
the problems. It offers a seniors' care specialization. There's
also a mental health area which features a psychiatrist, a
psychologist and two psychotherapists.
Most recently, there's a cosmetics and plastic surgery service.
The business also transitioned into PPE supply during
the pandemic and has sold more than 30 million masks overall
(Sobeys is one of its national customers).
" We're also thinking about opening in other cities, "
Hanham says, without offering specifics.
The business has a staff of about 50 and relationships with
25 doctors. Doctors work either part-time or full-time. Some
have full practices elsewhere and spend one day a week at
Medpoint. Some specialists work exclusively at Medpoint;
others include it in a rotation of offices.
Hanham, 51, credits Murchison, 54, and her steady hand
as medical director for much of the company's success. " She
was our only doctor when we started. She's been the key to
our success. The first few years were difficult. I had to go
back to my old job to supplement things. Today, we're where
I thought we'd be 10 years ago. "
It took longer than he expected - and selling the company
was nearly a fatal error - but the couple is doing exactly what
they want to be doing, running a business almost certain to
grow for the foreseeable future.
London Inc. April 2022

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