Job Title: Provost, Augusta University
Bio: Neil J. MacKinnon, Ph.D., F.C.S.H.P., a 2007-08 Canadian Harkness Associate in Health Care Policy and Practice, is an associate professor and the Associate Director for Research in the College of Pharmacy at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia. Dr. MacKinnon also has faculty appointments in Dalhousie's School of Health Services Administration and Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, and is also a member of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute's research and evaluation committee, a faculty member of the Safer Healthcare Now campaign (medication reconciliation initiative) and a member of the Medication Advisory Panel for a private third-party payer, Medavie Blue Cross. His primary research focus has been on the safety and quality of the medication-use system, and his current research interests include developing a brokerage function for linking Canadian researchers and decision makers in patient safety, and developing medication safety indicators. Dr. MacKinnon has co-authored over 35 peer-reviewed journal articles and edited two books. He holds a Ph.D. in pharmacy health care administration from the University of Florida, and a master's degree in hospital pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin.
Mentors: Stephen Soumerai, Sc.D.
Project: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches to Understanding Drug Policy
Description: MacKinnon’s project aimed to determine the impact of drug policies in Canada on quality and safety. To do so, he undertook a systematic review of Canadian studies evaluating the effects of a drug policy. He also undertook a secondary project on how the Nova Scotia Pharmacare Program’s prior authorization process impacts clinicians’ daily practice. For this project, he conducted focus groups with physicians and pharmacists