New platform makes it easier to report errors in everyday pharmacy practice

As pharmacists take on expanded scope, higher patient volumes and increasingly complex care, one part of pharmacy practice has struggled to keep pace: how medication incidents are reported, analyzed and the lessons learned.“Pharmacy teams across Canada are working tirelessly on patient safety,” says Arul Kandasamy, a pharmacist who completed his PhD and postdoctoral research in pharmacy systems and patient safety at the University of Alberta. “But incident reporting has traditionally been paper-based and siloed. When errors are reviewed later, the approach is often reactive rather than proactive.”That disconnect between modern pharmacy practice and outdated safety systems is what led Kandasamy and a small group of pharmacist colleagues to launch PharmaSafe Inc., an Edmonton-based health-tech company focused on embedding patient safety directly into everyday pharmacy workflow.Read: ‘Your voice can save lives’: Updated website helps Canadians report medication errorsFrom paper files to real-time learningThe company started in 2023 after several years of research and consultation with frontline pharmacists, regulators, and professional stakeholders. Its flagship platform, PhIX (Pharmacy Incident eXchange), was launched in 2025 and is already being used by more than 300 independent and banner pharmacies in Alberta, with British Columbia expected to come online by the end of June.“For a long time, pharmacies have been documenting incidents, but those records often get filed away and forgotten,” says Kandasamy. “When something similar happens again, only then do we look back [so] we wanted to create a system that helps pharmacies be proactive instead of reactive.”PhIX allows pharmacy teams to quickly document medication incidents and near misses—often referred to as “close calls”—in under a minute. The platform then analyzes trends over time, enabling teams to identify patterns related to workload, timing or workflow rather than focusing on individual blame.“Our platform is designed to blame the system, not the people,” Kandasamy explains. “If incidents keep happening at a certain time of day or under certain conditions, that’s a signal to adjust staffing or processes—not to punish staff.”Read: ISMP provides tips to help simplify medication regimensOne of the most significant barriers to incident reporting, Kandasamy notes, is fear of disciplinary action, regulatory scrutiny, or internal repercussions. To address this, PhIX automatically anonymizes reports, even removing identifying details if they are entered unintentionally.“When teams know their reports are anonymous, they are far more willing to report close calls,” he says. “Those near misses are often the most valuable learning opportunities, but historically they’ve been underreported.”The platform also supports anonymized data sharing with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada (ISMP Canada), contributing to broader medication safety surveillance while still delivering actionable insights back to individual pharmacies. PhIX is focused on in-pharmacy learning and continuous quality improvement.PharmaSafe’s core team includes some six pharmacists, many of whom remain active in community practice. Kandasamy says that frontline perspective is essential. “Independent pharmacies are overwhelmed,” he says. “Patient safety is critical, but many existing tools are complex or feel like an added burden. We wanted something practical—fast, intuitive and useful.”PhIX is offered through a yearly subscription of $249 per pharmacy, which includes self-assessment tools and associated ISMP reporting fees. A trial option is also available, allowing pharmacies to explore the platform before committing.Looking ahead, PharmaSafe aims to expand nationally, using aggregated, anonymized data to help pharmacists learn not only from their own stores, but from trends across regions and provinces.“At the end of the day, patient safety is everyone’s responsibility,” says Kandasamy. “If we want pharmacy to continue evolving, safety has to be built into the workflow—not treated as an afterthought.”

New platform makes it easier to report errors in everyday pharmacy practice

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