Friday, September 21, 2012

GreeneStone Healthcare Corp. (GRST) Addresses the Challenge of Eating Disorders


GreeneStone, a Toronto-based provider of mental health services, focusing on addiction, eating disorders, nutrition, weight loss, and executive healthcare, is addressing the growing eating disorder epidemic with an expanded clinical staff and a new eating disorder clinic scheduled for launch in autumn of 2012. Yesterday after the bell, the company announced the hiring of Ann Kerr as Clinical Director for the new clinic. The company has also chosen a Psychiatrist Medical Director, Head Psychologist, and Chief Clinical Advisor, all to be formally announced once they are under contract. GreeneStone earlier announced the appointment of Dr. Mohsina Chaklader at the company’s Center of Excellence for Gastroenterology, a valuable resource for the new clinic.

Eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating, represent a significant problem, affecting as many as 10 million females and 1 million males in the U.S. alone. Despite educational efforts, health care providers often have little understanding of these disorders, how to recognize them, or how to deal with people suffering from them. Such disorders can require lifelong treatment, and GreeneStone feels it’s critical to provide effective ongoing support, helping to reduce the need for in-patient care, and also helping to reduce overall healthcare and disability costs for company clients and the country. GreeneStone CEO, Shawn Lee, commented: “These are by far the largest component of corporate healthcare costs. We see this as the biggest area of growth for the company and we need to be national in scope.”

Ann Kerr is a Registered Occupational Therapist and holds academic appointments as Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, and Lecturer in the Department of Occupational Therapy in the Faculty of Medicine at The University of Toronto. She has worked in the field of mental health for over 30 years and specialized in the care for people affected by eating disorders through work in Inpatient, Day Hospital, community, and private practice settings. Ann was part of the team that built the Inpatient Eating Disorder Program at Toronto General Hospital under Dr. Sid Kennedy, and then the first ever Eating Disorder Day Hospital Program with Drs. Allan Kaplan and Niva Piran. Ann accepted the position of the first Program Director of Sheena’s Place, an innovative model of support services for families and people with eating disorders. Ann has been in private practice in Toronto for the past six years honing her psychotherapy skills in the areas of CBT, DBT, and Relational Therapy.

Ann was trained at The University of Toronto and has ongoing education through Harvard Medical School of Continuing Education and the Jean Baker Miller Centre at Wellesley College. She has supervised students in most health professions and been awarded the Northrop Frye teaching award for medical student education. Ann was on the Board of the Transitional College of Occupational Therapists and is a Member of the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario and the Ontario Association of Occupational Therapists. She is a member of the Academy of Eating Disorders, an international body of eating disorder clinicians and researchers. Ann has written research articles and chapters in books on the treatment of people with eating disorders as well as spoken at numerous conferences in Canada and the U.S. She has appeared frequently on television, radio, and in newspapers and magazines commenting on current issues in the culture that relate to this issue.

Limited operations at the new eating disorder clinic are set to begin in late October, 2012, with full service operations intended to commence in early 2013.

For additional information, visit the company’s websites at www.GreeneStoneClinic.com and www.GreeneStoneInvestor.com

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