Garth Meckler

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital
Division Head, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, BC Children's Hospital

Academic Affiliations

Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia

Research Theme

Evidence to Innovation

Research Areas

Contact

garth.meckler@cw.bc.ca

Phone

(604) 875-2345 ext. 5217

Mailing Address

4500 Oak St
Vancouver, BC
V6H 3N1

Assistant

Christina Tou
ctou-02@cw.bc.ca

Overview: Dr. Meckler has a strong interest in the prehospital emergency care of children and has chaired the Oregon EMS for Children Committee on Prehospital Education and developed a simulation-based education program for rural providers throughout the state. His research interests range from bedside clinical questions such as the management of pediatric headache, to medical education and patient safety, and he is currently involved in a large NIH grant to describe the epidemiology of prehospital safety events in the EMS care of children. Dr. Meckler has recently joined the Pediatric Emergency Research Canada network since arriving in Vancouver.
Publications: Retrospective chart review and survey to identify adverse safety events in the emergency medical services care of children with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the USA: a study protocol
BMJ Open
Carl Eriksson and Amanda Schoonover and Tabria Harrod and Garth Meckler and Matt Hansen and David Yanez and Mo Daya and Jonathan Jui and Jeanne-Marie Guise
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039215
10/2020
Opioid Prescribing Practices for Pediatric Headache
The Journal of Pediatrics
Garth D. Meckler and David C. Sheridan and Christina J. Charlesworth and Nicoleta Lupulescu-Mann and Hyunjee Kim and Benjamin C. Sun
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.08.078
01/2019
Reliability and Usability of a 7-Minute Chart Review Tool to Identify Pediatric Prehospital Adverse Safety Events.
Hospital pediatrics
Eriksson CO and Ovregaard N and Hansen M and Meckler G and Skarica B and Guise JM
DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2017-0155
PubMed: 30061112
08/2018
System outcomes associated with a pediatric emergency department clinical decision unit.
CJEM
Karacabeyli D and Meckler GD and Park DK and Doan Q
DOI: 10.1017/cem.2018.57
PubMed: 29655399
04/2018
A psychosocial assessment and management tool for children and youth in crisis.
CJEM
Lee A and Deevska M and Stillwell K and Black T and Meckler G and Park D and Eslami A and Doan Q
DOI: 10.1017/cem.2018.1
PubMed: 29587889
03/2018
Low-Dose Propofol for Pediatric Migraine: A Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial.
The Journal of emergency medicine
Sheridan DC and Hansen ML and Lin AL and Fu R and Meckler GD
DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2018.01.003
PubMed: 29456086
02/2018
Treating and reducing anxiety and pain in the paediatric emergency department-TIME FOR ACTION-the TRAPPED quality improvement collaborative.
Paediatrics & child health
Trottier ED and Ali S and Thull-Freedman J and Meckler G and Stang A and Porter R and Blanchet M and Dubrovsky AS and Kam A and Jain R and Principi T and Joubert G and Le May S and Chan M and Pediatric Emergency Research Canada Pain Interest Group
DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxx186
PubMed: 30046273
02/2018
An environmental scan of academic pediatric emergency medicine at Canadian medical schools: Identifying variability across Canada
CJEM
Jennifer D. Artz and Garth Meckler and Niran Argintaru and Roderick Lim and Ian G. Stiell
DOI: 10.1017/cem.2017.437
01/2018
Safety Events in High Risk Prehospital Neonatal Calls
Prehospital Emergency Care
DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2017.1347222
2018
Out-of-Hospital Pediatric Patient Safety Events: Results of the CSI Chart Review
Prehospital Emergency Care
Garth Meckler and Matthew Hansen and William Lambert and Kerth O'Brien and Caitlin Dickinson and Kathryn Dickinson and Joshua Van Otterloo and Jeanne-Marie Guise
DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2017.1371261
10/2017
Paediatric emergency department overcrowding and adverse patient outcomes
Paediatrics & Child Health
Melissa Chan and Garth Meckler and Quynh Doan
DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxx111
09/2017
Topiramate for pediatric migraine prevention.
Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien
Sakulchit T and Meckler GD and Goldman RD
PubMed: 28701441
07/2017
Return visits to the pediatric emergency department: A multicentre retrospective cohort study.
CJEM
Meyer-Macaulay CB and Truong M and Meckler GD and Doan QH
DOI: 10.1017/cem.2017.40
PubMed: 28625173
06/2017
2017 Trauma Association of Canada Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts.
Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie
DOI: 10.1503/cjs.005617
PubMed: 28513422
06/2017
Constipation and paediatric emergency department utilization
Paediatrics & Child Health
Alison Nutter and Garth Meckler and Mimi Truong and Quynh Doan
DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxx041
05/2017
DECREASED HOSPITALIZATIONS AT THE COST OF INCREASED EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT RETURNS? OUTCOMES OF A CLINICAL DECISION UNIT.
Paediatrics & child health
Karacabeyli D and Park D and Meckler G and Doan Q
DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxx086.091
05/2017
Accuracy of Prefilled “Code Cart” Epinephrine Syringes for Direct Administration of Small Doses
JAMA Pediatrics
Matt Hansen and Carl Eriksson and Nathan Mah and Garth Meckler and Jeanne-Marie Guise
DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.4167
04/2017
Emergency Department Return Visits within A Large Geographic Area
The Journal of Emergency Medicine
Mimi Truong and Garth Meckler and Quynh H. Doan
DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2017.01.009
02/2017
Emergency medical services responders’ perceptions of the effect of stress and anxiety on patient safety in the out-of-hospital emergency care of children: a qualitative study
BMJ Open
Jeanne-Marie Guise and Matthew Hansen and Kerth O'Brien and Caitlin Dickinson and Garth Meckler and Phil Engle and William Lambert and Jonathan Jui
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014057
02/2017
An environmental scan of academic emergency medicine at the 17 canadian medical schools: Why does this matter to emergency physicians?
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine
DOI: 10.1017/cem.2016.346
2017
Pediatric Disaster Triage: Multiple Simulation Curriculum Improves Prehospital Care Providers’ Assessment Skills
Prehospital Emergency Care
DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2016.1235239
2017
Safety events in pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
American Journal of Emergency Medicine
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2017.08.028
2017
Topiramate for pediatric migraine prevention
Canadian Family Physician
2017
Patient safety events in out-of-hospital paediatric airway management: a medical record review by the CSI-EMS
BMJ Open
Matthew Hansen and Garth Meckler and William Lambert and Caitlin Dickinson and Kathryn Dickinson and Joshua Van Otterloo and Jeanne-Marie Guise
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012259
11/2016
Pediatric Airway Management and Prehospital Patient Safety
Pediatric Emergency Care
Matthew Hansen and Garth Meckler and Kerth O'Brien and Phillip Engle and Caitlin Dickinson and Kathryn Dickinson and Jonathan Jui and William Lambert and Erika Cottrell and Jeanne-Marie Guise
DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000000742
09/2016
Relative Effectiveness of Dopamine Antagonists for Pediatric Migraine in the Emergency Department
Pediatric Emergency Care
David C. Sheridan and Amber Laurie and Stephanie Pacheco and Rongwei Fu and Matthew L. Hansen and O. John Ma and Garth D. Meckler
DOI: 10.1097/pec.0000000000000718
05/2016
Paramedic assessment and treatment of upper airway obstruction in pediatric patients: an exploratory analysis by the Children's Safety Initiative-Emergency Medical Services
The American Journal of Emergency Medicine
Matthew Hansen and Garth Meckler and William Lambert and Caitlin Dickinson and Kathryn Dickinson and Jeanne-Marie Guise
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2015.12.082
03/2016
Understanding the value of mixed methods research: the Children's Safety Initiative-Emergency Medical Services
Emergency Medicine Journal
Matthew Hansen and Kerth O'Brien and Garth Meckler and Anna Marie Chang and Jeanne-Marie Guise
DOI: 10.1136/emermed-2015-205277
02/2016
Comparing the Accuracy of Three Pediatric Disaster Triage Strategies: A Simulation-Based Investigation
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
Mark X. Cicero and Frank Overly and Linda Brown and Jorge Yarzebski and Barbara Walsh and Veronika Shabanova and Marc Auerbach and Antonio Riera and Kathleen Adelgais and Garth Meckler and David C. Cone and Carl R. Baum
DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2015.171
01/2016
Simulation for Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Trauma
Comprehensive Healthcare Simulation: Pediatrics
Frank L. Overly and Kevin Ching and Garth D. Meckler
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-24187-6_17
2016
Congenital Heart Disease In Pediatric Patients: Recognizing The Undiagnosed And Managing Complications In The Emergency Department
Pediatric emergency medicine practice
2016
Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine
McGraw Hill
2016
Pediatric airway management and prehospital patient safety results of a national delphi survey by the children's safety initiative-emergency medical services for children
Pediatric Emergency Care
DOI: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000000742
2016
Relative Effectiveness of Dopamine Antagonists for Pediatric Migraine in the Emergency Department
Pediatric Emergency Care
DOI: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000000718
2016
Inpatient Pediatric Migraine Treatment: Does Choice of Abortive Therapy Affect Length of Stay?
Journal of Pediatrics
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2016.08.050
2016
Patient Safety Perceptions in Pediatric Out-of-Hospital Emergency Care: Children's Safety Initiative
The Journal of Pediatrics
Jeanne-Marie Guise and Garth Meckler and Kerth O'Brien and Merlin Curry and Phil Engle and Caitlin Dickinson and Kathryn Dickinson and Matthew Hansen and William Lambert
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2015.07.023
11/2015
Intranasal sumatriptan for migraine in children.
Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien
Goldman RD and Meckler GD
PubMed: 25971759
05/2015
Test characteristics of quick brain MRI for shunt evaluation in children: an alternative modality to avoid radiation
Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics
Esther L. Yue and Garth D. Meckler and Ross J. Fleischman and Nathan R. Selden and Dianna M. E. Bardo and Amity K. Chu O'Connor and Eugene T. Vu and Rongwei Fu and David M. Spiro
DOI: 10.3171/2014.9.peds14207
04/2015
Barriers to pediatric disaster triage: A qualitative investigation
Prehospital Emergency Care
DOI: 10.3109/10903127.2014.967428
2015
Test characteristics of quick brain MRI for shunt evaluation in children: An alternative modality to avoid radiation
Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics
DOI: 10.3171/2014.9.PEDS14207
2015
Time on the scene and interventions are associated with improved survival in pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
Resuscitation
DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2015.06.012
2015
Intranasal sumatriptan for migraine in children | Le sumatriptan intranasal pour la migraine chez les enfants
Canadian Family Physician
2015
Children's safety initiative: A national assessment of pediatric educational needs among emergency medical services providers
Prehospital Emergency Care
DOI: 10.3109/10903127.2014.959223
2015
Pediatric Patient Safety in Emergency Medical Services
Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Garth Meckler and Julie Leonard and John Hoyle
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpem.2014.01.003
03/2014
Understanding Safety in Prehospital Emergency Medical Services for Children
Prehospital Emergency Care
Erika K. Cottrell and Kerth O'Brien and Merlin Curry and Garth D. Meckler and Philip P. Engle and Jonathan Jui and Caitlin Summers and William Lambert and Jeanne-Marie Guise
DOI: 10.3109/10903127.2013.869640
03/2014
Creation and Delphi-method Refinement of Pediatric Disaster Triage Simulations
Prehospital Emergency Care
Mark X. Cicero and Linda Brown and Frank Overly and Jorge Yarzebski and Garth Meckler and Susan Fuchs and Anthony Tomassoni and Richard Aghababian and Sarita Chung and Andrew Garrett and Daniel Fagbuyi and Kathleen Adelgais and Ran Goldman and James Parker and Marc Auerbach and Antonio Riera and David Cone and Carl R. Baum
DOI: 10.3109/10903127.2013.856505
01/2014
Pediatric migraine: Abortive management in the emergency department
Headache
DOI: 10.1111/head.12253
2014
Immunizations
Rosen and Barkin's 5-Minute Emergency Medicine Consult: Fifth Edition
2014
Development and Implementation of a Web-Based Instrument to Assess Management of Pediatric Respiratory Emergencies Among Trainees
Pediatric Emergency Care
Matthew Hansen and Anna Cedar and Lalena Yarris and David Spiro and Jonathan S. Ilgen and Garth Meckler
DOI: 10.1097/pec.0b013e3182a36082
09/2013
Bedside optic nerve sheath diameter ultrasound for the evaluation of suspected pediatric ventriculoperitoneal shunt failure in the emergency department
Child's Nervous System
M. Kennedy Hall and David M. Spiro and Alfredo Sabbaj and Christopher L. Moore and Katharine L. Hopkins and Garth D. Meckler
DOI: 10.1007/s00381-013-2172-y
06/2013
The association between hospital type and mortality among critically ill children in US EDs
Resuscitation
Matthew Hansen and Ross Fleischman and Garth Meckler and Craig D. Newgard
DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2012.07.032
04/2013
Diagnostic Testing and Treatment of Pediatric Headache in the Emergency Department
The Journal of Pediatrics
David C. Sheridan and Garth D. Meckler and David M. Spiro and Thomas K. Koch and Matthew L. Hansen
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.07.006
2013
Development and implementation of a web-based instrument to assess management of pediatric respiratory emergencies among trainees
Pediatric Emergency Care
DOI: 10.1097/PEC.0b013e3182a36082
2013
Low-Dose Propofol for the Abortive Treatment of Pediatric Migraine in the Emergency Department
Pediatric Emergency Care
David C. Sheridan and David M. Spiro and Thuan Nguyen and Thomas K. Koch and Garth D. Meckler
DOI: 10.1097/pec.0b013e3182768a6b
2012
Low-dose propofol for the abortive treatment of pediatric migraine in the emergency department
Pediatric Emergency Care
DOI: 10.1097/PEC.0b013e3182768a6b
2012
Pain, throat
Fleisher and Ludwig's 5-Minute Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consult
2012
Erythema multiforme
Fleisher and Ludwig's 5-Minute Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consult
2012
Gastrointestinal bleeding: Upper
Fleisher and Ludwig's 5-Minute Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consult
2012
Gastrointestinal bleeding: Lower
Fleisher and Ludwig's 5-Minute Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consult
2012
Foreign body ingestion
Fleisher and Ludwig's 5-Minute Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consult
2012
Intraosseous Line Use, Complications, and Outcomes Among a Population-Based Cohort of Children Presenting to California Hospitals
Pediatric Emergency Care
Matthew Hansen and Garth Meckler and David Spiro and Craig Newgard
DOI: 10.1097/pec.0b013e3182307a2f
10/2011
Determining the paediatric educational needs of prehospital providers: part 2
Journal of Paramedic Practice
Alia Breon and Lalena Yarris and Junwen Law and Garth Meckler
DOI: 10.12968/jpar.2011.3.9.510
09/2011
Determining the paediatric educational needs of prehospital providers: part 1
Journal of Paramedic Practice
Alia Breon and Lalena Yarris and Junwen Law and Garth Meckler
DOI: 10.12968/jpar.2011.3.8.450
08/2011
Treatment of acute otitis media in children.
The New England journal of medicine
Spiro DM and Meckler GD and Arnold DH
DOI: 10.1056/nejmc1102207
PubMed: 21542755
05/2011
A proposal to limit otoscopy to reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics: a call for research
Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy
David M Spiro and Melissa A Welker and Donald H Arnold and Garth D Meckler
DOI: 10.1586/eri.10.175
02/2011
Pediatric Educational Needs Assessment for Urban and Rural Emergency Medical Technicians
Pediatric Emergency Care
Ross J. Fleischman and Lalena M. Yarris and Merlin T. Curry and Stephanie C. Yuen and Alia R. Breon and Garth D. Meckler
DOI: 10.1097/pec.0b013e31823a3e73
2011
Pediatric educational needs assessment for urban and rural emergency medical technicians
Pediatric Emergency Care
DOI: 10.1097/PEC.0b013e31823a3e73
2011
Intraosseous line use, complications, and outcomes among a population-based cohort of children presenting to California hospitals
Pediatric Emergency Care
DOI: 10.1097/PEC.0b013e3182307a2f
2011
Pediatric educational needs assessment for urban and rural emergency medical technicians.
Pediatric emergency care
2011
Wounds
Pediatrics in Review
D. M. Spiro and M. R. Zonfrillo and G. D. Meckler
DOI: 10.1542/pir.31-8-326
08/2010
Halo Scalp Ring With Purulent Drainage in a Newborn
Pediatric Emergency Care
Judson Heugel and David Spiro and Garth D. Meckler
DOI: 10.1097/pec.0b013e3181cd14c7
01/2010
Halo scalp ring with purulent drainage in a newborn
Pediatric Emergency Care
DOI: 10.1097/PEC.0b013e3181cd14c7
2010
Fever and Neutropenia in Pediatric Patients with Cancer
Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America
Garth Meckler and Susan Lindemulder
DOI: 10.1016/j.emc.2009.04.007
08/2009
To Intubate or Not to Intubate? Transporting Infants on Prostaglandin E1
PEDIATRICS
G. D. Meckler and C. Lowe
DOI: 10.1542/peds.2008-0641
01/2009
Technical Tip: Radial Head Subluxation
Pediatrics in Review
G. D. Meckler and D. M. Spiro
DOI: 10.1542/pir.29-7-e42
07/2008
Nondisclosure of Sexual Orientation to a Physician Among a Sample of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Youth
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
Garth D. Meckler and Marc N. Elliott and David E. Kanouse and Kristin P. Beals and Mark A. Schuster
DOI: 10.1001/archpedi.160.12.1248
2006
Respite
Journal of General Internal Medicine
Garth Meckler
DOI: 10.1007/s11606-998-0002-9
01/1998
Research: Current projects
Sheridan DC, Spiro DM, Koch TK, and Meckler GD: Use of Propofol for the Treatment of Pediatric Migraine Headache. Pediatric Emergency Care. Pediatric Emergency Care. Dec 2012, 28(12): 1293-96.

This is the first description of a novel therapeutic treatment for pediatric migraine in the emergency department in more than 10 years. The results of this case-control study have lead to the implementation of a prospective randomized controlled trial that is currently approved and will begin recruitment in October, 2012. Based on this work, my mentee has received a national research award from the American Academy of Pediatrics. We have subsequently submitted (under review) a paper describing the national variability in pediatric headache treatment across the US using a nationally representative sample of pediatric ED patients, and have received ethics approval for a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial of low-dose propofol vs. standard migraine therapy for pediatric migraine in the ED.

Small Victims, Big Challenges: Refining Pediatric Disaster Triage Education and Assessing Triage Algorithms in the Prehospital Setting. This multi-center study out of Yale in the US is designed to compare the accuracy of three separate pediatric mass-casualty triage systems utilizing simulation-based video assessment and capitalizing on a natural experiment wherein three adjacent states utilize three distinct triage systems in their pre-hospital EMS systems.

The Epidemiology of Preventable Safety Events in Pre-hospital EMS for Children. This large 5 year NIH funded grant utilizes an innovative mixed-method approach to explore, describe, understand, and test critical elements related to preventable safety events in the pre-hospital care of pediatric patients. Qualitative, quantitative and simulation-based observational data as well as the largest Delphi Survey conducted are being analyzed to understand potentially modifiable contributors to safety risk in this setting.

Grants

National Institutes of Health, PAR-08-261: Epidemiology of Preventable Safety Events in Pre-hospital EMS of Children. $3,491,585.00; 2010-2015, Jeanne-Marie Guise / Garth Meckler.
Friends of Doembecher Foundation: Pediatric Simulation. $30,000.00; 2009-2010; Robert Cloutier / Garth Meckler.

Honours & Awards

Robert C. Chambliss Best Paper Award, Section of Transport Medicine, American Academy of Pediatrics
Academic Instructor of the Year, Oregon Health & Science University, Department of Emergency Meidicne, 2010, 2011
Joseph B Bilderback Award (Teaching), Oregon Health & Science University, Department of Pediatrics

Research Group Members

Christina Tou, Administrative Coordinator, Emergency Coordinator