“Investment and modernization – that is our strategy”
Vítězslav Havliš, Sales Director of Canadian Medical
Text: Martina Hošková and M.Zisso; Photo: Archive
Canadian Medical is the first-choice healthcare provider of many foreigners living in Czechia, and the biggest provider of medical services for employers in the country. According to the network’s Sales Director, Vítězslav Havliš, “the key to success is above all investment in modern treatment that results in the satisfaction of our clients.”
Canadian Medical was established three decades ago, and has been appreciated by your clients ever since. Where does this success come from?
Our success is based on client satisfaction. That’s why we are proud of the modernization of our clinics and health centers, in which we continuously invest. We replaced a number of devices with new and better ones. We are also modernizing the interior of our clinics, so that our clients feel as comfortable as possible. Thanks to this strategy, we were able to significantly expand our portfolio of services both last year and this year.
Does expanding your portfolio of services mean that you can offer new treatments now?
Yes, that’s exactly what I meant. At the Waltrovka Clinic, for example, gynecological care was expanded to include a specialized colposcopy clinic. As part of one-day surgery, we now also offer new treatments in the fields of gynecology and obstetrics. New procedures were also introduced in the fields of orthopedics, urology, angiology, vascular surgery, and general and pediatric surgery. Another example is the Park Clinic in Prague 11. Since March 2023, it has offered the option of performing a lumbar puncture (removal of cerebrospinal fluid) using an atraumatic needle. Thanks to this, clients do not have to make hospital appointments, and they can go home immediately after the procedure.
This year, you have also opened a brand new dermacenter in Prague 4. What do you help clients with there?
The opening of a new dermacenter within the Pankrác House Clinic this year was yet another significant milestone in our development. Here, we can offer our clients comprehensive and above-standard care – from prevention to treatment of skin and venereal diseases. Among other things, here you will find a consultation room for pigmentation nevi, as well as cosmetology consulting. Our team of doctors also focuses on corrective dermatology, dermatosurgical procedures, and treatment with CO2 laser. In the dermacenter, we also perform chemical peeling, injection liposis, and mesotherapy. The environment of the center corresponds to this, and is pleasant towards clients, with a sensitive approach and discretion.
It is great that you mention a sensitive approach towards your clients. How do you develop this aspect of your services?
Communication between clients and doctors is crucial. Future healthcare success is not only about modernizing devices – we are convinced that the future of Czech healthcare should also lie in the globalization of care. At Canadian Medical, we have a large group of international clients, and all of our employees who interact with clients are fluent in at least one of the world languages. In addition to ease of access, we are also committed to ensuring that our clients are in constant contact with their doctors, and that the different specializations work together smoothly, especially for complex diagnoses. In both cases, telemedicine technology is the ideal tool.
To improve communication with your clients, you have also designed a special application. How does it work?
The implementation of modern digital procedures is on the rise, and brings visible results in all different walks of life. Our myCANADIAN health client platform won 3rd place in the prestigious Internet Effectiveness Awards 2022 competition last year, in the Mobile Applications category. During COVID-19, we already saw an increased interest in more accessible doctor consultations. So, in an effort to reach out to our clients, as well as doctors, we created the myCANADIAN app. It gives our clients easy access to contacts in the office, and, above all, the possibility to arrange a remote consultation. The app also allows clients with a membership programme to book appointments online, and to connect with a doctor at any time, 24 hours a day. Many clients also appreciate the ability to save e-prescriptions directly in the app, including refreshing them, or to browse their medical records from completed examinations.
What are your plans for the future?
Simply said, to continue the current trend. The first priority will be the client’s comfort. The key pillars on which we build are above-standard care and flexibility. Each of our doctors has a personal approach to the patient, and tries to plan every single visit with them according to individual possibilities. In the coming months, we would like to continue the introduction of the most modern devices into our practices, as well as the expansion of specialized workplaces within clinics.
The history of Canadian Medical dates back to the mid-1990s, when a small clinic was established in Prague by Canadian doctors, with the purpose of providing medical care to foreigners living in Prague at the standard to which they were accustomed in Canada and the United States.
After merging with the Czech healthcare group EUC, Canadian Medical became the biggest network of premium clinics in the Czech Republic. Today, the company provides care in seven locations in Prague and Brno, offers more than forty specializations to clients, and has expanded its range with the addition of an inpatient department.
The company offers its clients membership programs, for which you must be insured with a Czech health insurance company, or have Exclusive or Diamond health insurance for foreigners from Pojišťovna VZP. Another possibility is to be treated based on your foreign insurance, or on a private-payer basis.
Vítězslav Havliš
is a Sales Director of Canadian Medical, a premium healthcare provider network. He is responsible for strategic development and sales support, and leads the entire sales department team.
Since 2007, he worked in the insurance and investment sector (Česká pojišťovna, Generali pojišťovna, Pioneer Investments). He also held the position of director of external distribution channels at Allianz pojišťovna, where he was responsible for the team of the largest brokers (life and non-life insurance) for retail.
He is 46 years old, and graduated from the Faculty of Social and Economic Studies at the University of J. E. Purkyně in Ústí nad Labem. His interests include Media, IT technology, and sports.