Montreal’s Dialogue, a leader in the virtual healthcare space and recently named one of Canada’s fastest growing companies, has announced its acquisition of wellness service provider Optima Global Health which is headquartered in Villeray.

Optima has been operating as a provider of employee assistance programs, vocational rehabilitation and disability management services for nearly 30 years. During that time the company has built a network of more than 3,000 multi-disciplinary practitioners across the country. Optima helps companies reduce their absenteeism-related costs and improve the health of their employees, which in turn helps keep them at work.

In a statement, Dialogue explained this transaction is part of its accelerated growth strategy, building on its healthcare technology to address increasing demands for health and wellness services for employers and their teams across Canada.

Earlier this year, Dialogue closed on the acquisition of German Occupational Health and Safety company Argumed Consulting, laying the foundation for an expansion in European markets.

“Tapping into Optima’s established expertise and leadership is critical to the success of our expansion into Canada’s promising EAP market,” said Cherif Habib, Co-Founder and CEO at Dialogue. “This acquisition places Dialogue among the top EAP providers in the country and puts us in a position to introduce our innovative technology to millions of new users.”

2020 has seen exponential growth in the telemedicine industry, which is estimated to be a $2 billion market in Canada.

Employee assistance programs are funded by employers and provide workers with free and confidential short-term support services, including assessments and counselling to help manage both personal and work-related challenges. With more Canadians feeling the physical and mental impacts of the global pandemic, Dialogue recently announced its intention to transform the EAP experience, with a focus on providing quicker access to virtual multidisciplinary teams of professionals and full continuity of service.