Code Hack: Celebrating Five Years of Innovation
A Legacy of Creativity and Collaboration
Since 2019, Island Health has hosted five Code Hack events, each designed to spark new ideas and bring people together to improve health care for patients, caregivers and our system. Over the years, Code Hack became a place where creativity, problem-solving and community spirit thrived. Participants from every background were welcomed, whether or not they worked in health care.
Thank you to every participant, volunteer, coach, mentor, judge, and sponsor who helped build the Code Hack community. Your energy and ideas helped shape how we think about innovation at Island Health.
Code Hack 2025 was the final Code Hack in this iteration.
How Code Hack Helped Shape the Future of Innovation at Island Health
A highlight of every Code Hack was the 24-hour sprint. After pitching ideas and forming teams of five or six people, participants had one day to build a solution. These solutions took many forms, such as apps, clinical pathways, signage, websites or tools to improve care spaces. At the end of the weekend, teams presented their prototypes to a panel of judges. Winning teams earned opportunities to further develop their ideas with Island Health’s Innovation Lab and community partners.
This model of fast collaboration, diverse perspectives and rapid problem-solving has inspired the direction of our future innovation opportunities within the Island Health Clinical Governance framework. Although Code Hack has completed its five-year run, its impact continues. We are now exploring options for creating new and more focused events that support everyday improvements. These opportunities are part of a more integrated approach to innovation at Island Health, one that connects quality, safety, research and innovation to create meaningful change.
Innovation means growth. It means exploring new ideas and reimagining how we work together. We are excited to build on the foundation that Code Hack created, and we look forward to sharing what comes next.
What is a hackathon?
Our hackathon is an opportunity for people who are passionate about improving health care to work together.
Celebrating Our Winning Teams and Past Highlights
Over five years, Code Hack recognized outstanding ideas and achievements. Several winning concepts grew into new initiatives, secured funding or advanced within the health-care and technology communities. These successes show the power of collaborative thinking and creativity that emerged from each Code Hack event.
You can view highlights from the last event in the 2025 Flickr album and explore the Island Health Flickr page for photos from past Code Hack events and other activities.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we have built something meaningful, and we look forward to the next chapter of innovation events at Island Health.