Employee Spotlight: Mackenzie Chapin

Mackenzie Chapin, Director, Specialty Solutions

Meet Mackenzie Chapin. As the Director of Specialty solutions, Mackenzie oversees Kii Health’s non-standard program offerings, including our Mental Health Coach program, Medical Confidence, the Return-to-Work (RTW) Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) services, and the recent launch of our service (also known as Medical Second Opinion). Mackenzie focuses on optimizing operations, enhancing reporting, managing customer relations, and introducing specialty programs to new audiences.

1. In your opinion, what are some of the most overlooked aspects of employee wellness, and how are we addressing them?

There’s a lack of knowledge today for the everyday Canadian. We’re constantly bombarded with so many different options to enhance our wellness, and it’s hard to know what’s actually helpful, what one should pursue, and what’s just a flashy new app that’s spending a lot of money on its Instagram ad campaign. One of the core tenets of our programs is healthcare education. We obviously want to support employees and guide them to the best care options, but in my opinion, it’s even more important that we empower employees to understand their healthcare/wellness options and allow them to become their own advocates. It’s cliché, but knowledge is power, and our programs are designed to help employees become more knowledgeable about their options.

2. How do our specialty solutions support both prevention and early intervention in employee health?

I think a lot about the spectrum of care, and I think Kii Health does such a good job of providing programs and services that address all stages of the spectrum, especially when it comes to our specialty solutions. Mental Health Coach and Healthcare Navigation Pro are designed to be preventative and help employees avoid absenteeism. However, there are so many cases where the best option is taking some time away from work, and we want to make sure that those employees receive the same high standard of support.

With the RTW iCBT program, we provide employees with direct psychotherapy integrated with return-to-work modules. This combination not only provides better health outcomes but also specifically addresses return-to-work barriers. Our Medical Confidence program addresses the more long-term cases and ensures that employees aren’t spending time away from work and their day-to-day lives due to avoidable issues like wait times or not having a family doctor. I think that our offerings do a fantastic job of providing support to all employees, no matter what stage of the spectrum of care they’re at.

3. How does our Mental Health Coaching solution compare to more traditional services like counselling or therapy?

While I love our traditional offerings like counselling, I think that for folks who are reaching out for support for the first time, the direct jump into therapy can be daunting. This is why I love our Mental Health Coach program, because it provides that stepping stone for employees who recognize that they’d like support but perhaps aren’t ready to jump into formal treatment.

Our coaches work one-on-one with employees to determine what their goals are, or even craft realistic goals with employees if they’re not sure where to start. By providing customized action plans with both lifestyle and treatment recommendations, our coaches meet employees where they’re at and ensure that they’re comfortable with every single decision they’re making.

I think it also ties back to healthcare education, which I was talking about earlier. Looking for mental health support can be really daunting. Unless you’re working in the industry, how is someone supposed to know the difference between a social worker, psychotherapist, psychologist, counsellor, etc.? And then, how are you able to know if the kind of therapy they offer is right for you? Of course, cost plays into it, too. I work in the industry, and I have had situations where I’ve booked with a counsellor only to find out after the fact that they’re not covered under my benefits. Mental Health Coach is designed to reduce or eliminate these barriers. Your coach can provide researched recommendations of providers and therapy modalities while also making sure that they’re covered by an employee’s benefits. There’s nothing else in the market today that invests that kind of time and energy in empowering employees to understand and take charge of their own wellness journeys.

4. Can you share a recent example of how our specialty solutions have helped an employee or client organization achieve better health outcomes?

A great example of this is the official launch of the hybrid therapist-assisted iCBT (TAiCBT) RTW program. One of the most common feedback points we received from clients of the original TAiCBT RTW program was that some people were hesitant about a chat-only based care plan. With this in mind, we worked with the clinical and operations teams to create a more intensive version of the program that included direct interaction with a therapist through virtual therapy sessions, along with asynchronous chat. We’ve recently launched the program and are still collecting outcomes data, but I’m thrilled to share that early results are indicating fantastic outcomes. The therapists providing the program have also anecdotally seen better participation and engagement, so we’re thrilled to see that this enhancement has had a positive response from users.

5. What kinds of challenges are organizations coming to us with most often right now, and how are we helping them address those challenges?

One of the most common issues I speak with customers about is employee utilization of Extended Health Care (benefits. Employers provide their employees with a range of different benefits, but employees aren’t using them. There have been studies that show that for every dollar spent on preventative care, employers save nine dollars on reactive care.

When the Coaches or Navigators build custom action plans for each employee, they take into account what the employee has access to in their healthcare ecosystem. This means looking at other programs offered by the employer, like an Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) or TAiCBT program, or private options that are covered by the employee’s benefits. If the Coach or Navigator recommends a private provider as the best option, they ensure that the provider is taking new clients, accepts the employee’s benefits, and meets as many of the employee’s requests as possible.

In other words, we help employees understand their benefits as well as other options (e.g., public programs, other employer-provided services) and get the support they need while keeping the cost to the employee as low as possible. We understand that costs are often one of the largest barriers to employees, especially in today’s world, and we ensure that this is top of mind when providing employees with recommendations and support.

6. What’s something you’ve learned through your work here that’s changed how you think about health and well-being?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that health and well-being aren’t linear. Every person’s journey is going to be different, and we need to work to meet people where they’re at. There’s a time and place for more standard programs, and I don’t want to take away the importance and effectiveness of those offerings, but comorbidities are a real thing. We need to look at the whole picture and understand that something that works for one person won’t necessarily work for another, and we need to ensure that we’re considering their unique needs and building custom solutions that incorporate their whole ecosystem of care.

7. How do you think workplace needs are evolving when it comes to health and wellness support?

The world has changed so much in the last 5 years with the onset of hybrid and remote work, and this has changed the kinds of support that people need. Employees are looking for solutions that are flexible and meet the new normal, and we aim to deliver on this need. We want to make sure that people can fit their wellness into their day-to-day lives, meaning flexible appointment booking, virtual-first wellness solutions that still feel personal, and consideration of all care pathways. This ensures that every employee’s care plan is tailored to the reality of their needs.

Click here to learn more about Kii Health’s specialty services, including Mental Health Coach, Medical Confidence, RTW TAiCBT, and service.