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Theme 1: Bridging Community and Acute Care

PAUSE

Preventing medication complications during AcUte illness through Symptom Evaluation and sick day guidance

Lead:

David Campbell (Lead)

Co-Lead:

Matt James 

Project Coordinator: 

Shania Liu 

INNOVATION STAGE

Proof of Concept

Health Innovation Focus

Acute Illness & Injury

Population and Setting

Adults

Technology and Intervention

Data Modelling, Platform and Dashboard Visualization

BENEFITS

For Users

Personalized Medication Guidance: Offers individualized advice on when to stop or restart medications during illness, helping patients avoid adverse effects. 


Improved Self-Management: Empowers patients to take control of their medication management, reducing the need to rely on healthcare providers for guidance during minor illnesses. 


Prevention of Hospital Visits: Clear instructions reduce the likelihood of complications that may otherwise lead to emergency department visits or hospitalizations.

For The System

Reduced Emergency Visits: By providing patients with accessible guidance, the app helps prevent avoidable ER visits due to improper medication use. 


Support for Health Innovation and Evaluation: Integrated decision-support features and mechanisms for pragmatic trials (e.g., e-recruitment, randomization) enable ongoing evaluation and refinement of the app in collaboration with Connect Care and AHS Research Services. 


Enhanced Chronic Disease Management: By empowering patients to manage medications more effectively, the app supports better long-term health outcomes, reducing strain on healthcare resources.

Project Theme Information

Many patients are unsure of when to pause or restart their medications during illness, potentially leading to harmful complications such as dehydration, kidney damage, or fainting-related falls. Existing resources often provide general information that may not be relevant to individual needs, leaving patients without specific, personalized guidance during acute illness episodes.

The Pause app is a digital tool designed to help patients manage their medications safely during times of illness. By providing personalized, symptom-based guidance, the app instructs users on when to temporarily stop or restart medications, helping to prevent complications and suggesting when to seek medical advice.

Family physicians introduce the app to patients when they are prescribed new medications, ensuring patients have access to a personalized resource if they become ill. Pharmacists can further support patients by discussing medication management during sickness and encouraging the use of the app. The app provides symptom-based instructions on medication management, along with alerts to seek medical care if needed.

Get Involved

Explore Collaborations

Visit our website or email Shania Liu to explore collaboration opportunities

Take a Closer Look


View other projects and explore the Health Everywhere Portfolio to see how local innovations are transforming care across the province.

Explore the Health Everywhere Portfolio to see how local innovations are solving real-world challenges and shaping the future of care across the province. 

ABOUT

The Health Everywhere Hub portfolio map showcases academic-led projects tackling real healthcare challenges across Alberta. By highlighting shared goals and commonalities, we hope to spark collaboration and amplify impact across the system. 

It’s more than a list of projects - this evolving collection shows what’s possible when partnerships, bold ideas, and real-world testing come together. 

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