DynaLIFE(DX) Seeks Information on AHS Decision to Award Australian Company Lab Services

Clarification important for Alberta Patients

EDMONTON, Oct. 21, 2014 /CNW/ - Late last week, DynaLIFE_Dx (DL) was informed by Alberta Health Services that they had entered into negotiations with Sonic Healthcare, an Australian based company to provide lab service for 15 years to metro Edmonton as well as parts of central and northern Alberta. DL has been the provider of the lab services for over 40 years.  "This decision to enter into negotiations with Sonic raises a number of significant questions for DL's future and for its employees and patients," says Jason Pincock, CEO of DynaLIFE_Dx. DL is therefore seeking and has submitted a request for a debrief with AHS as soon as possible.

DynaLIFE_Dx is an Alberta born enterprise headquartered in Edmonton that was established to serve the needs of metro Edmonton and northern Albertans.  "Having its corporate and operational base in Edmonton has made it possible to respond successfully to the physicians and patients it serves.  Our decision making and business processes have been able to adapt to local needs," says Pincock.

DynaLIFE_Dx has a record of patient satisfaction and exceptional labour relations as well as being recognized as one of Alberta's top employers and Canada's Best Managed Companies.  "We are a local success story," says Pincock. A top priority for DL in this whole process is the future of the staff who have built this company and who work here every day.

Recent AHS comments and coverage provided information that requires clarification:

• DL is Alberta-based and a majority-owned Canadian company by Borealis Infrastructure (OMERS) that is backed by Canadian pension funds and Canadian pensioners. 
• DL has a minority American partner LabCorp, a world leader in specialty testing.
• DL is a leader in quality and is accredited by the College of Physicians and Surgeons and the College of American Pathologists.
• All proponents including DL were required to include provision for a new, state of the art lab facility in their proposals. This facility was a mandatory requirement for all proposals and was not a feature of the Sonic proposal alone. DL has partnered with local leaders PCL and Stantec in its proposal for the new facility.
• Sonic is not the only company capable of providing specialty testing. Less than one percent of current tests are completed outside Alberta. LabCorp, DL's partner, is considered a world leader in specialty testing such as genetics and is fully capable of supporting this testing in Alberta.

The transition is much more complex than taking over another company's equipment and facilities. "We require a comprehensive understanding of the transition plans AHS has publicly spoken about. It appears that AHS assumes the transition is as simple as taking over a company's experience, support structures, systems – and most importantly, its people all without discussing this transition with DL," says Pincock.

DynaLIFE_Dx remains committed to delivering the quality of service it has built its reputation upon without interruption to its millions of patients.

About DynaLIFE_Dx

DL is Alberta's largest privately owned Clinical Laboratory. DL is headquartered in Edmonton and employs over 1200 medical, technical, and support staff in Edmonton and throughout central and Northern Alberta. DL performs over 15 Million publicly funded laboratory tests annually for 1.5 Million Albertans in its state of the art laboratories. DL is recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies and is recognized consistently as one of Alberta's Top 65 Employers. DL is accredited by the College of Physicians and Surgeons and carries international accreditation through the College of American Pathologists. DL is a key training facility for laboratory training in Western Canada. For more information please visit: www.dynalifedx.com.

About OMERS

OMERS is one of Canada's largest pension funds with over $65 billion in net assets. It provides first-class pension administration and innovative products and services to over 440,000 members. Through the OMERS Worldwide brand, our team of investment professionals uses a direct drive, active management investment strategy to invest in public and private market assets, including publicly-traded equities, fixed-income, infrastructure, private equity and real estate. For more information, please visit: www.omersworldwide.com.

About Borealis Infrastructure

Borealis is the infrastructure investment arm of OMERS, one of Canada's largest pension funds with net assets of more than $65 billion and an AAA credit rating. Borealis is a leader in direct infrastructure investing with over a decade of investment experience. Borealis manages more than $11 billion in OMERS equity capital through investments in a diversified portfolio of large-scale infrastructure assets exhibiting stability and strong cash flows, in sectors including energy, transportation and government-regulated services. For more information please visit: www.borealis.ca.

About LabCorp^®      

Laboratory Corporation of America^® Holdings, an S&P 500 company, is a pioneer in commercializing new diagnostic technologies and the first in its industry to embrace genomic testing.  With annual revenues of $5.8 billion in 2013, over 34,000 employees worldwide, and more than 220,000 clients, LabCorp offers more than 4,000 diagnostic tests ranging from routine blood analyses to reproductive genetics to companion diagnostics.  LabCorp furthers its scientific expertise and innovative clinical testing technology through its LabCorp Specialty Testing Group:  The Center for Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Genetics Institute, ViroMed Laboratories, Inc, The Center for Esoteric Testing, Litholink Corporation, Integrated Genetics, Integrated Oncology, Dianon Pathology, Monogram Biosciences, Inc, Colorado Coagulation, Cellmark Forensics, MedTox, and Endocrine Sciences.  LabCorp conducts clinical trials testing through its LabCorp Clinical Trials division.  LabCorp clients include physicians, government agencies, managed care organizations, hospitals, clinical labs, and pharmaceutical companies. To learn more about our organization, visit our website at: www.labcorp.com.

Image with caption: "DynaLIFE(DX) (CNW Group/Dynalifedx)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20141021_C1327_PHOTO_EN_6946.jpg

SOURCE: Dynalifedx

Jason Pincock, Chief Executive Officer, [phone]

Related Links

www.dynalifedx.com