Co-developing system integrations and a research agenda for adverse drug event reporting and digital health at Interior Health

Over 2 million Canadians visit emergency departments each year because of adverse drug events (ADEs)—unintentional harms caused by outpatient medications. ADEs leads to over 700,000 hospital stays and cost more than $1 billion in healthcare expenses annually. These issues are especially severe in the Interior Health Authority, where an aging population and high rates of chronic diseases increase the risk of ADEs. Effective drug monitoring is essential for detecting and preventing these events. However, current reporting systems are underused due to their complexity and lack of integration with existing medical records to benefit clinical practices.

This C2 grant will enable our team at Interior Health to collaborate with researchers, healthcare providers, health system leaders, and policymakers to identify solutions and co-create a research agenda aligned with provincial health priorities using Menear’s framework of learning health system. The goal is to enhance patient safety by improving the documentation and communication of ADEs through digital innovations. This initiative not only addresses immediate local needs but also contributes to broader provincial health research goals.