Question: How can prescribers satisfy requirements for reporting an adverse event following immunization (AEFI)?
Context: In a separate post, we describe how to report a patient safety event and how to report serious adverse drug reactions. There is another process for reporting an adverse event following immunization (AEFI), defined as an unfavourable health occurrence experienced by a patient that:
- follows immunization
- cannot be attributed to a pre-existing condition
- is determined by a health practitioner to be one or more of the following:
- a life-threatening health occurrence requiring hospitalization or urgent medical attention
- an unusual or unexpected health occurrence not previously identified, or previously identified but of increasing frequency
- a health occurrence that cannot be explained by the patient's medical history, recent disease, illness or use of a medication
All AEFIs must be reported to the AHS Provincial AEFI team. By completing the AEFI form within Connect Care, the team is automatically notified; no further notification to the team is required.
Answer [updated January 2025]: AEFI reports can be completed entirely within Connect Care. From within an opened patient chart, seek the "Serious Adverse Drug Reaction Form" (SADR Form) activity by using Chart Search with "serious" or "reaction" as a keyword. Note the "AEFI Criteria" tab at the top of the SADR Form activity. Select (click on) the “Complete an AEFI report form in Connect Care” link; a “Flowsheet Pop-Up” form will appear. Fill in the form, ensuring the “Patient Aware of Notification” questions are both answered. Add a brief note in the “Notes” sidebar activity.
Once completed and signed, the report is automatically directed to the Provincial AEFI team for review and reporting.
For screenshots, see the tip sheet.
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