Posted on: January 16, 2024
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Attention Island Health innovators: the annual Code Hack returns March 8-10 at the Royal Jubilee Hospital – and we want you to join us!
This “hackathon" is a chance to come together with patients, staff, volunteers, students, community members and point-of-care colleagues to identify health-care challenges and work on solutions. Applicants do not have to work in health care and there is no cost to participate.
Application forms are available at islandhealth.ca/codehack to apply to be one of 100 participants who will come together to hack. The application deadline is Feb. 5, 2024 – register now to be one of 100 participants who will collaborate on solutions for health-care challenges. Watch the Intranet, the public website , and Island Health's social media platforms for updates: X: @VanIslandHealth Instagram: @VanIslandHealth Hashtag: #CodeHack
You don't have to be a tech whiz or have prior training to be a hacker; all you need is a passion to improve health care. Supplies, materials, space and mentorship from leaders in business, the public sector and the community will all be provided at the hackathon.
Once participants have formed small working groups (around 5/6 people) and chosen the projects they want to work on (they also pitch these project ideas), they then have 24 hours to create solutions. This may result in an app, a care pathway, signage, a website or a resource for a treatment room. Anything goes – YOU get to decide.
Winners receive opportunities to develop their prototypes further with Island Health's Innovation Lab and other community partners.
Last year's first-place project focused on bedside toilet alternatives to help patients better manage washroom functions and mobility issues. Other winning efforts included an app for patients to help them navigate wait times and information related to emergency room admissions, and a 3-D printed tool that tracks patient movements and encourages activity to reduce fatigue and body deterioration.
In previous years, Code Hack teams also tackled topics including hospital readmission rates, the local GP shortage, immunization record storage and more.
Watch the video from 2023 to see what Code Hack is all about and how much fun this event is!
Have questions about the event? Email CodeHack@islandhealth.ca
Volunteer opportunities
Volunteers are crucial to Code Hack's success. The event requires about 20 volunteers to register participants when they arrive, help people find their way around, set up rooms, handout prototype supplies, and ensure that coffee, water and snacks are in ready supply.
Ten mentors will offer their expertise and experience as a health-care provider, designer, developer or patient. They circulate from team to team during the event and offer insight, ideas and real-world tips to hacker teams based on the challenges.
Coaches are like mentors, but offer dedicated 15-minute sessions with teams for more focused feedback. Coaches provide teams with an invaluable opportunity to test their solution with real-world experts. Ideally we would like to recruit three types of coaches for the event: one with a clinical focus, one with a business focus and one with a patient perspective.
To volunteer, please email codehack@islandhealth.ca