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Written by Abigail Guevara, Senior Content Writer, Freelance
As the Region of Durham continues to grow and diversify, its current population of 753,090 (2023) is projected to grow to 1.3 million people by 2051. Naturally, its need for increased access to excellent health care becomes more critical. MedEx Health Services is responding to this demand.
MedEx Health Services, originally located in Toronto, recently added a new location in Pickering in 2024. The integrated health care company is making significant strides in bridging health care gaps, as Canada’s only female, Black-owned accredited rehabilitation, mental health and home health care company.
“We’re carving out our own unique space in the health care landscape; providing our services through employers, the insurance industry, government agencies, hospitals, residential care facilities, schools, and the legal community as we manage and facilitate individuals’ health care cases throughout their health journey,” explains Cheryl Kerr, Founder and President (pictured).
With such a varied clientele, MedEx Health Services must provide an array of interconnected health care services reflected in the chart below.
MedEx Health Services include:
“Despite the challenges of competing with larger, established health care providers, we press forward with a staff of 80 professionals who consistently deliver personal, community-driven care,” says Cheryl.
The company’s health care team is composed of 25 interdisciplinary health professionals, and independent medical evaluation services include:
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Rising to the challenge of culturally adaptive and senior health care in Durham Region
Part of MedEx Health Services success is actively meeting the region’s evolving health care needs.
“One of the ways we do this is by offering culturally adaptive health care,” explains Cheryl. “This means we make every effort to tailor our services to meet the cultural and language needs of patients. For example, if a Muslim woman requires massage therapy, we will provide a female therapist, or if a patient speaks Tagalog, Arabic or Tamil, we attempt to provide them with a practitioner who speaks their language.”
This approach helps to ensure that diverse populations receive care that accommodates their cultural and personal needs.
Additionally, given Durham’s growing senior population, MedEx Health Services’ presence in the region is especially timely. Canada’s seniors, aged 65 and older, are approximately 18.9 per cent (2023) of Canada’s 40 million strong population. Durham Region closely aligns with national numbers as residents 65 years of age and older increased from 14.4 per cent in 2016 to 15.9 per cent in 2021, as stated in the The Regional Municipality of Durham Report 2024.
“We recognize that these statistics suggest a growing number of Canadians may need assistance as they age and we’re prepared to help them through our home care solutions which provides nurses, Personal Support Workers (PSW), and medical reconciliation [the process of creating the most accurate list of medications including prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, supplements and herbal remedies to avoid medication errors],” notes Cheryl. “These types of services are especially valuable to a growing, aging population.”
Expanding services for a healthier tomorrow
Cheryl was born in Jamaica and came to Canada in 1984 where she settled in Montreal while working and attending Dawson College. She founded MedEx Health Services in 2008 as a nurse with over 30 years’ combined experience in medical diagnostics, paramedical, outpatient care, ambulatory services and home care.
Today, her company is licensed and governed by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) and accredited with Accreditation Canada, Dun & Bradstreet and the Better Business Bureau; and is anticipated to reach revenue goals in the millions, with two-thirds of the revenue coming from rehabilitation and one-third from home care services.
“It’s challenging but rewarding work to help people get through their health care obstacles at a time when they most need it so they can live better quality lives,” says Cheryl.
As MedEx Health Services expands its operations, it plans on maximizing its future health services by adding new primary care positions, such as primary care physicians to its roster of integrative health care. MedEx also intends to allow investors to participate in its growth trajectory.
Innovation and Inclusivity: Stories from Durham Region's Black Business Leaders, Entrepreneurs, and Professionals (members of DRAPBE) is a series of stories about thriving Black professionals choosing to do business in Durham Region.
