Background

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Emergency Medicine research in Canada relied on ad hoc networks and study-specific contracts that resulted in delays to study start-up and high administrative costs. We created the Canadian COVID-19 Emergency Department Rapid Response Network (CCEDRRN) in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CCEDRRN established a national governance structure, executed membership and data sharing agreements, and harmonized data collection on COVID-19 tested patients presenting to EDs to streamline research processes.

Building on CCEDRRN’s success

Guided by principles of collaboration, equity, transparency, and open science, CCEDRRN became the largest Emergency Medicine research network in Canadian history. Building on CCEDRRN’s success in generating impactful research on COVID-19, we were able to leverage our membership and data sharing agreements to understand the impact of the 2021 British Columbia heat wave on heatstroke presentations and develop lessons learned that will result in better preparedness for future heat-related events.

CCEDRRN became the largest Emergency Medicine research network in Canada, generating impactful research on COVID-19.

We then established the Canadian Emergency Department Research Network (CEDRN) to address ongoing challenges and facilitate and accelerate investigator-initiated studies in Emergency Medicine such as on the toxic drug crisis and Emergency Department crowding.

We hope that our governance structure, membership and data sharing agreement, data collection, analytic and management infrastructure and skilled expertise advances Emergency Medicine innovation, clinical care and policy.

Guiding principles

Vision

To be an inclusive collaborative pan-Canadian network that improves clinical care, patient outcomes, patient and providers experiences, health equity, and health system sustainability through cutting-edge research, quality improvement, and surveillance in Emergency Medicine.

Mission

To facilitate and accelerate multi-centre collaborative studies in Emergency Medicine for research, quality improvement and surveillance. Data sharing and membership agreements allow participating sites to contribute data that are accessible for research, quality improvement and surveillance through a secure shared data platform. Data dictionaries, harmonized datasets, and standardized data collection and verification procedures facilitate analyses and support cutting-edge innovation, development of metrics and tracking of spread and scale of successful interventions.

Goals

To sustain and expand established network infrastructure and expand innovation capacity by:

  • Creating partnerships and supporting broad and inclusive patient and stakeholder engagement.

  • Collecting and harmonizing clinical datasets across hospitals.
  • Facilitating and supporting collaboration and data sharing to enable national and international harmonization.
  • Enabling data linkages with administrative data.

  • Informing evidence-based decision making and policy development by supporting the evaluation of clinical practice and tracking implementation through metrics.
  • Providing metrics for quality improvement and surveillance to support implementation of research findings and enable a transition to a learning health system.
  • Building capacity by training the next generation of clinician-scientists and health care researchers.

Value Proposition

Discover how CEDRN creates value for patients, providers, and researchers through collaboration, innovation, and data-driven solutions.

Read our Value Proposition

Governance

We follow both internal and external governance standards to ensure compliance, transparency, and effective decision-making.

Internal governance

CEDRN is governed by an Executive Committee of provincial leads, committee chairs, study representatives, and the Lead of UBC Coordinating Centre, supported by three key committees: the Protocol Review Committee (scientific and ethical oversight), the Patient Engagement Committee (patient and community input), and the Finance Committee (funding and resources). A self-governing Indigenous Advisory Committee guides Indigenous engagement, while each study is directed by its own Steering Committee of investigators, site leads, patient partners, and experts.

Host institution & membership

CEDRN operates under The University of British Columbia (UBC), with members signing a membership and data sharing agreement that standardizes collaboration across institutions.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee oversees CEDRN’s strategic direction, funding, and study approvals. It includes:

  • Chair, Vice-Chair, and Past Chair
  • Provincial/Regional Leads
  • Chairs of Standing Committees
  • Study Steering Committee representatives
  • Coordinating Centre Lead

Standing committees

To support its mission, CEDRN operates several key standing committees:

  • Protocol Review Committee (PRC) – Ensures research ethics, data security, and compliance with privacy policies.
  • Patient Engagement Committee (PEC) – Guides patient engagement for the network and mentors and trains patient partners to actively participate in studies.
  • Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC) – Collaborating with Indigenous leaders and knowledge holders to ensure culturally safe and respectful research practices. Reviews and approves all use of any variables that could potentially lead to Indigenous identification.
  • Finance Committee (FC) – Oversees financial planning, budgeting, and sustainability of the network.
  • Study steering committees – Each CEDRN study has its own steering committee responsible for overseeing the study’s operational decisions and scientific direction.

Amendments & accountability

Governance policies and committee structures may be reviewed and updated from time to time by the Executive Committee. All standing and study steering committees report to the Executive Committee.

External governance

CEDRN adheres to Canadian laws on data protection, privacy, and ethical research, following the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2). All studies undergo Research Ethics Board (REB) approval and annual reviews, ensuring ethical and secure research practices.