In 2006, the Canadian Patient Safety Institute partnered with Saskatchewan Health and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada (ISMP Canada) to co-author the Canadian Root Cause Analysis Framework. 

The Canadian RCA Framework is designed as a quality improvement tool to help individuals and organizations determine the contributing factors and root causes that led to an event.  It also provides strategies for developing effective recommendations and implementing actions for systems improvement.

The approach is built on the premise that patients, direct care providers, senior management, members of the board, and representatives of key external organizations, all play a role to improving the system.

• To order a copy of the Canadian Root Cause Analysis Framework, please fill Cindy Winfield via email cwinfield@cpsi-icsp.ca