Bio: Aziz Sheikh, M.D., M.B.B.S., M.Sc., a 2013-14 U.K. Harkness Fellow in Health Care Policy and Practice, is a professor of primary care research and development, as well as co-director of the Centre for Population Health Sciences, at the University of Edinburgh. Sheikh is also chair of the Allergy & Respiratory Research Group and director of the eHealth Research Group at the University of Edinburgh. He is an editorial board member of Health Informatics Journal, associate editor of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine and editor-in-chief of the Primary Care Respiratory Journal. He has advised the English and Scottish Governments on patient safety, was an adviser to NHS Connecting for Health's Evaluation Programme, served as a member of the Information Technology for Patient Safety Expert Working Group of the World Health Organization's World Alliance for Patient Safety (2009-2010), and is now chairman of the Patient Safety in Primary Care Working Group for the World Health Organization. While Sheikh is trained in epidemiology, his recent work has focused on causes and consequences of medical errors, as well as the interface between culture, health and healthcare delivery. Sheikh has authored over 350 peer-reviewed publications in journals including BMJ, Lancet and Health Affairs, as well as 26 book chapters and 10 books. Sheikh has been recognized for his excellence in research--research paper of the year and clinical champion in allergy--by the Royal College of General Practitioners. Sheikh holds a master's of science in epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and a M.D. from the University of London.
Placement: Harvard University
Mentors: David Bates, M.D., M.Sc., Brigham and Women's Hospital; Harvard School of Public Health
Project: Leveraging Health Information Technology to Realize the "Triple Aims" of Health Care Reform
Description: Sheikh's project will identify and critically appraise the relevant evidence-base on how health information technology (HIT) and HIT-derived data can be leveraged to achieve the 'triple aims' of health care reform: improved patient care, population health, and health service efficiency. He will first undertake a systematic review of the literature that is focused on strategies to maximize returns on investment in HIT. He will then conduct a range of stakeholder interviews on their experiences with and expectations for HIT, and potential barriers and facilitators. Six to 8 site visits will also be undertaken at centers of excellence. Finally, he will convene a Trans-Atlantic Expert Working Group of experts to help integrate the findings into recommendations for policymakers and providers.