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Professor Johnanna Westbrook

Chair Deeble Institute for Health Policy Research Advisory Board

Director of the Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University

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Professor Johanna Westbrook, PhD is Director of the Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University. She is internationally recognised for her research evaluating the effects of information and communication technology (ICT) in health care.

Johanna has led important research in the development and application of approaches to evaluate ICT, including new tools and methods which have been adopted internationally. She has particular expertise in the study of medication safety. Johanna has contributed to theoretical models regarding the design of complex multi-method ICT evaluations. Integral to assessing the effectiveness of ICT to innovate work, and improve safety and quality of care, is gaining a deep understanding of clinical work and communication processes. Thus, a core element of Prof Westbrook’s research has been developing and applying novel observational and analysis approaches to investigate these processes in a range of health settings. This work has included the development of the Work Observation Method by Activity Timing (WOMBAT) software to support the conduct of observational workflow studies. Her research has led to significant advances in our understanding of how clinical information systems deliver (or fail to deliver) expected benefits and supported translation of this evidence into policy, practice, and IT system changes. In 2019 she presented research findings to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety regarding the contribution that ICT can make to supporting improvements in monitoring the quality of care and outcomes in the sector. Johanna’s interests centre around designing innovative approaches to delivering robust research evidence to inform translational improvements in the delivery and outcomes of health services.

Johanna is an elected Fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics, the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics and Australasian Institute of Digital Health. In 2014 she was named Australian ICT professional of the year by the Australian Information Industry Association. In 2016 she was appointed as one of the inaugural Board Members of the Australian Digital Health Agency by the Federal Minister for Health. Johanna is currently Chair of the Deeble Institute Advisory Board, Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association, Co-Director for the Safety, Quality, Informatics and Leadership (SQIL) Program for the Harvard Medical School, and a member of the Board of the Sax Institute.

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