Ellen Balka

My work is concerned with technology assessment and design, implementation and use of information technology in the health sector. My team uses multiple research methods, including observing health sector staff while working in order to develop an in-depth understanding of how staff carry out their jobs, so that when new technologies are designed an implemented, they support, rather than impede staff work and the care patients receive.

I have served as principle investigator and co-investigator of numerous projects which have addressed topics such as gvernance of health system technology and patient safety, administrative computer systems, development of health indicators,  development of disease registries, handovers in patient care, automated drug dispensing machines, the development and use of health web sites, genomics and personalized medicine, telehealth, computerization of triage functions in the emergency department, and the design and development of adverse drug event reporting systems. As a principle investigator, I have held funds from CIHR, SSHRC, Health Canada, the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research and Genome BC.