Peter MacIsaac

 

 

Current Position:

 

Consultant, MacIsaac Informatics Pty. Ltd

Team Leader:  Terminology Central

 

Fields:  Health Informatics specialising in Information Architecture, Terminology and Communication Standards, Health Policy and Systems and Inter-organisational collaboration.

 

Building on an extensive background in clinical practice, academia and health policy I have a major focus on the clinical applications of health information systems and informatics to improve clinical care outcomes, efficiency and management of health data. New information systems must consider clinical requirements, workflow and change management issues and the implementation of standards and inter-organisational collaboration. Through facilitation work within Government and health standards groups I have built effective networks and strategies for supporting collaborative approaches and leading change processes.

 

Recent projects:

 

• Clinical Leader: HISA and HL7 Interoperablity Demonstration 2006
• Improvement of SNOMED-CT data entry capacity in an Electronic Health Records System.
• Project coordinator – Radiology Referral and New Technology Assessment
• Project Leader,  Quality Use of Diagnostic Imaging Scoping Study – Royal Australian College of Radiologists.  Sept 2005
• Consultant Australian Medical Association – report on national e-health forum
• Consultant – Cancer information systems improvement; Department of Human Services Victoria – August 2005
• Project leader – Integrating Healthcare Enterprise-  Interoperability Demonstration  HIC 2005 conference – August 2005
• National Medicines Terminology: Business case and technical model – National e-Health Transition Authority (NHETA) -  2004
• Product Identification – National e-Health Transition Authority - 2004

 

Medical  Background:

 

• General Practitioner in rural practice for 10 years, covering community and hospital care (anaesthetics, obstetrics, emergency and internal medicine). Remains active in part time practice.
•  Establishment of WestVic Division of General Practice – Foundation Medical Director (CEO).
•  Academic appointments in rural health (Melbourne University), epidemiology & biostatistics (Newcastle University) and Community Medicine (Monash University).
•  Policy advisor on pharmaceutical benefits, quality use of medicines, disease management,  general practice quality and chronic illness.

 

Informatics Background:

 

• Internal consultant on health informatics applications across a broad range of health policy inside the Department of Health and Ageing.
•  Terminology specialist -  technical and policy advisor on terminology and data representation for Australian Government (2000-2005).  Review of SNOMED and technical advisor to Community terminology program.  Vocabulary facilitator – HL7 Inc. Technical lead on Australian medicines terminology (2004-5)
•  Board Member – HL7 Australia and various Standards Australia committees (vocabulary, pharmacy). I have played a significant role in the foundation of  HL7 Australia  (as Treasurer 2002-2004) an industry based organisation supporting connectivity standards in health. This organisation has successfully established itself, attracted a viable membership based from the Australian health informatics sector and become a national leader in HL7 and standards education and support. This work has lead to the creation of an extensive network of contacts made in the health informatics industry, government  and academic sectors.
•  Development of HL7 Version 3  Pharmacy messages and vocabularies for drug dose form (HL7 Inc). Served one term as co-chair pharmacy special interest group (HL7 Inc).  Expertise in UML system specification methodology.
•  Clinical Standards and strategic advisor on Australia’s national electronic health record system – HealthConnect (2002-2005)
•  Application of informatics systems to support chronic disease management and clinical outcome assessment – collaboration on diabetes data collection for national divisions diabetes program.
•  Inaugural leader of Medicines Coding Council Australia –creating national standard terminology for medicines. (1999-2000)
•  Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions – development of initial concept, architecture and standards framework for MediConnect project. (1999-2000)
•  Coordinator Royal Australian College of GPs computer interest group (Victoria) and member of National Informatics Committee (1986-1991),  organisation and program committee for several RACGP computer conferences.
•  Fellowship in Community Medicine (specialising in clinical informatics) – 1985-6.  Development of computer based education and drug information systems.  Evaluation of first trial of electronic health records in General Practice in Australia.
•  Development of data system to support High Risk Perinatal Service – Queen Victoria Hospital 1984

 

Government Experience:

 

Over 7 years I worked in the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing. This was a Senior Executive Service position (Commonwealth Band 1 equivalent) and has provided a grounding in the processes of government and policy development. I have represented the Department on several external groups including the General Practice Computing Group and have played a leadership role in the shaping of GPCG activities and projects. I have presented frequently at national conference and workshops and have worked on a range of health financing, chronic disease evaluation and  e-health policy initiatives. Building on my background in research and epidemiology I have worked on primary care academic and quality improvement programs.

 

Organisational Affiliations

 

• Australian Medical Association   
• Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
• Health Level 7 Australia and International  
• Health Informatics Society Australia

 

 

Employment History:

 

Senior Medical and Health Informatics Advisor, Information and Communication Division (ICD), Department of Health and Ageing.  (January 2003-June 2005).

Senior Medical Advisor General Practice and Pharmaceuticals, Department of Health and Ageing (1998-2003)

Rural General Practitioner and Visiting Hospital Medical Officer (1987-1998)

Lecturer in Clinical Epidemiology- University of Newcastle (part-time 1996-1998)

Foundation Director WestVic Division of General Practice (part time 1993-1998)

Fellow in Community Medicine (Monash University)  (1985-1986)

 

Education:

 

Master of Public Health (University of Qld) 2005

Graduate Diploma Epidemiology (Melbourne) 1995

Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners 1986

Diploma Obstetrics 1984

MBBS  (Melbourne University):  1979

 

Contact details:

 

8 Ewart St.

Yarralumla 2600

peter@macisaacinformatics.org

+61 (0) 2 61611327 (work)

+61 (0) 411403462 (mobile)

peter_macisaac (skype)