QIPS Committee Update

Standards Subcommittee Update

Committee Overview 

Chair: Garrick Mok 

The Standards Subcommittee is a subcommittee of the Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS) Committee within the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP). The committee’s mandate is to support Canadian emergency medicine providers through the development, review, endorsement, and dissemination of high-quality clinical guidance documents and standards-related work. 

The subcommittee’s work aligns with CAEP’s strategic priority of defining standards for quality emergency care by ensuring that clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), practice guidance documents, and endorsed materials reflect current evidence, consensus, and national relevance. 

Primary objectives of the committee include: 

• Establishing a standardized and transparent process for the submission, review, and approval of CAEP clinical practice guidelines and practice guidance documents 

• Reviewing new proposals for guidelines and making recommendations to the CAEP Board 

• Identifying areas where new clinical guidance is needed and facilitating connections with subject matter experts to advance these initiatives 
  

Key Achievements & Highlights 

A major achievement this year was the advancement and approval of new Emergency Department Analgesia Guidelines. These guidelines provide a structured framework for pain management practices in emergency departments across Canada and are intended to support more consistent, evidence-informed, and patient-centered analgesia practices nationally. 

Standardization of Committee Processes 

The committee continued to refine and operationalize its standardized review processes for clinical guidance submissions. This included: 

• Ongoing use of a centralized review workflow for new submissions and endorsement requests 

• Clarification of document expectations and review criteria to improve transparency for submitting authors 

• Continued alignment of internal review standards with internationally accepted guideline frameworks where feasible 

  
  
  
  

Impact & Outcomes 

The work of the Standards Subcommittee continues to support both CAEP members and the broader emergency medicine community through the development of nationally relevant clinical standards. 

Key impacts this year include: 

• Supporting Canadian emergency physicians with practical, evidence-informed guidance for common and high-impact clinical issues 

• Improving consistency in emergency care delivery through standardized frameworks and recommendations 

• Strengthening CAEP’s role as a national leader in clinical standards, quality improvement, and guideline endorsement 

  
  
  
  

Metrics & Data 

High-level committee metrics for 2025–2026 include: 

• Ongoing Standards Subcommittee meetings held virtually throughout the year 

• 1 major national clinical guidance document advanced/approved: Emergency Department Analgesia Guidelines 

  • Another clinical guidelines submission recently received and being actively reviewed  

• Multiple guideline and document reviews completed or in progress 

Challenges & Opportunities 

Challenges 

• Transition of leadership in January 2026 with need to recruit new members. A period of time where committee was only myself but we are actively recruiting and revamping the terms of reference.  

• Balancing timely review of submissions with the need for rigorous and high-quality appraisal 

• Limited volunteer time and competing clinical/administrative responsibilities among committee members 

• Need for recruitment of additional members to help shape the structure and vision of the committee 

• Complexity of maintaining up-to-date guidance in rapidly evolving areas of emergency medicine 

  
  

Opportunities 

• Further refinement of submission templates and author guidance documents 

• Expansion of committee engagement with other CAEP committees and sections to identify high-priority areas for future guidance development 

• Increased visibility and dissemination strategies for completed guidelines to improve uptake among members 
  

Looking Ahead (2026–2027) 

Key priorities for the upcoming year include: 

• Continuing review and modernization of existing CAEP clinical practice guidelines 

• Further optimizing submission and review workflows to improve efficiency and transparency 

• Identifying new opportunities for national guidance development in high-priority areas of emergency medicine. Examples include the management of patients with substance use disorder and care of Indigenous patients.

• Advisory group to assist the CAEP board in ensuring that equity, diversity, and inclusion are considered in all CAEP’s activities, vision, and mission.