Similar to other industry sectors, healthcare decision-makers need reliable information regarding the health and safety of their workforce. This includes accurate and comprehensive data about injuries and illnesses occurring in the workplace, why they occur, their consequences, and the effectiveness of actions taken to address them. It is a standard practice to record injuries and forward the appropriate paperwork to the relevant authorities. In British Columbia, this is WorkSafeBC.

In the past, due either to a lack of expertise or inadequate data collection systems, often only a limited analysis of injury trends took place. While individual occupational health practitioners maintained some records (e.g. of needlestick injuries, training program attendance, case management of injured workers, influenza vaccine uptake) to guide their day-to-day work, the information was not systematically tracked in a way that could support evidence-based decision-making, or planning at facility or regional levels.

Prior to the introduction of the WHITE Database, a variety of paper and electronic systems were utilized in BC healthcare. These systems did not offer the centralization, consolidation or detail required for prompt analysis and action. Because they did not link information, these systems did not allow for comparisons across departments or facilities. In addition, health authorities rarely had easy access to data to monitor the follow-up of injured or ill workers in real time. The process of data tracking was laborious and unwieldy for on-going evaluation and program monitoring. The need for reliable, consistent, and valid workplace health data to drive evidence-based decision-making was highlighted in 2004 by the BC Auditor General.

The Occupational Health and Safety Agency for Healthcare (OHSAH) has the mandate to design, implement and evaluate programs to improve the health and safety of the BC healthcare workforce. Although OHSAH developed and implemented evidence-based programs, in the past it was difficult to determine their effectiveness because of the poor quality and consistency of existing data systems.

OHSAH has taken a leadership role in the development of solutions to address these concerns. After reviewing available options and extensive discussion with healthcare leaders, it became apparent that existing software/data solutions did not offer adequate features or functionality for the data needs of BC healthcare. Therefore, OHSAH, in collaboration with Univeristy of British Columbia (UBC) researchers and with input from BC health authorities, developed the Workplace Health Indicator Tracking and Evaluation (WHITE™) Database to meet these specific needs.

OHSAH began the development of the WHITE Database in 2002. It was introduced into the first of BC’s six health authorities (Interior Health) in the summer of 2004. Since then, OHSAH has implemented the WHITE Database in five other health authorities (Vancouver Island Health Authority, Fraser Health, Interior Health, Provincial Health Services Authority and Northern Health.)

For more information about the WHITE database please contact Tony Gilligan at (778)328-8000