Andrea Waddell

Dr. Waddell is the Medical Director for Clinical Informatics & Quality Standards at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care and the co-lead of Psy-QIS, the Department’s hub for Quality Innovation and Safety.  She completed her medical training in 2003 and specialty training in Psychiatry both at the University of Toronto.  One of the Department’s inaugural clinician-scientist residents, she completed a Master’s degree at OISE in Theory & Policy Studies and completed a nationally funded study of using video for resident supervision long before Zoom existed!  After almost a decade leading the inpatient unit at the University Health Network, she completed advanced training in Quality Improvement and moved to CAMH to practice, teach and support quality improvement and patient safety work in mental health before moving to Waypoint in 2022.

Current work focuses on supporting capacity building in quality improvement through the teaching and mentorship of residents, fellows and faculty members as well as funded research examining patient safety in acute mental health services. She sits on a number of regional and national advisory panels related to health service delivery and clinical informatics.

Dr. Waddell is an engaging and committed teacher receiving awards for undergraduate, postgraduate continuing education work.

Research Synopsis

The implementation of a Mental Health Trigger Tool for improved patient safety.

A study of real-time surveillance methodology in the acute mental health setting.

Development & evaluation of a case-based curriculum in quality improvement for psychiatric trainees and faculty.

Using experience-based co-design to reduce suicidal behaviour in the acute inpatient setting.