Bio: David F. Doolan. M.B., B.S., a 2000-01 Commonwealth Fund Harkness Fellow in Health Care Policy, is a medical manager and planner for the Central Coast Area Health Service in New South Wales, Australia. He has eight years experience as a practicing physician in Australia and England and has worked as a management consultant for a global strategic consulting firm. Doolan has been involved in the implementation of clinical information systems both as a consultant and as a medical manager. His primary research interests are in the area of using information and communication technologies to support the work of clinicians to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of health care services. Doolan received his medical degree from the University of Queensland and a Master's in Business Administration from Bond University in Queensland. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Medical Administrators. During his tenure as a Harkness Fellow, Doolan split his time between Brigham and Women's Hospital and Intermountain Health Care, Inc., to examine the impact of clinical information systems on the quality and effectiveness of health care.
Placement: Harvard University
Mentors: Brent James, M.D.; David Bates, M.D., M.Sc..
Project: The Use of Computers for Clinical Care--A Case Series of Advanced U.S. Sites
Description: Doolan explored what clinical information systems are in use, in what settings, what has been the impact of different systems, and what has it taken to implement and maintain them in the clinical environment. He conducted case studies at five U.S. hospitals that are advanced in their use of clinical information systems (LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City; Wishard Memorial Hospital, Indianapolis; Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston; Queen's Medical Center, Honolulu; Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Healthcare System, Seattle and Tacoma). Data was collected through the use of a survey instrument, interviews, observation and document analysis.