A6:    Evaluation in health informatics

Heather Heathfield PhD, IT Perspectives Ltd (UK), has a first degree in Microbiology, an MSc in Computing and a PhD in Medical Informatics. She has worked in the field of Health Informatics for more than 12 Years. Her interests are wide ranging and include clinical decision support systems, Electronic Patient Records, user-centred design, human-computer interaction, social and organisational issues in Health informatics and evaluation.

Heather has extensive experience in the field of evaluation. She has designed and project managed a large-scale evaluation of a GP Decision Support System for Merck, Sharpe and Dohme, participated in the multi-disciplinary evaluation of the NHS Electronic Patient Record and Integrated Clinical Workstation initiative, and more recently is conducting work for the NHS Information Authority to provide evaluation guidance for Electronic Record Development and Implementation Projects in the UK. Heather works commercially as a consultant for IT Perspectives Ltd, and also as a part-time senior lecturer at the University of Manchester.

Derek Felton is a managing consultant of Secta IM&T Consulting. He has been involved in leading IM&T development within the NHS for over nine years as Head of IM&T at North and Mid Hampshire Health Authority and as Regional Head of Information at Wessex Regional Health Authority after the failed RISP initiative. Derek joined Secta in 2000 and has worked on a wide range of assignments within local health communities. He has particular expertise in the development of information strategies for local health communities, the establishment of health informatics services, electronic patient record systems planning and in the development of IT infrastructures. Derek has played a significant role in the implementation of Information for Health in a number of local health communities. He has led the development of the Local Implementation Strategies, the development of collaborative plans for EPR, community-wide IT infrastructure development, the creation of Health Informatics Services and approaches to IM&T education, training and development.

Dr. Susan Clamp became Director of the Clinical Information Science Unit at the University of Leeds in 1996 having worked in the Unit since 1972. The Clinical Information Science Unit is involved in both the research and teaching of Health Informatics.

Susan has a great deal of experience in managing national and international research projects and over the last few has been involved in six European Union funded projects, specifically in the evaluation of health telematic applications. Other areas of expertise are:

· Development and evaluation of clinical decision support systems, having been one of the few people in the UK involved in projects to implement CDSSs in routine clinical practice.

· Evaluation of Electronic Patient and Health Records. Currently involved in reviewing available methodologies for the NHS Information Authority and in the evaluation of the South Staffordshire Health Community ERDIP programme. http://www.nhsia.nhs.uk/erdip/default_txt.htm

· Health Informatics educational standards, currently project leader of a DoH ICT Research Initiative project ­ Health Informatics Education for Healthcare Professionals (ICT/136).

She is the co-ordinator of YICHI (the Yorkshire Institute for Clinical and Health Informatics), a regional consortium of NHS Trusts, Health Authorities, Universities, Local Authorities and Businesses which promotes the sharing of information, resources and expertise in Health Informatics and a member of the Steering Committee of the UK Institute for Health Informatics. At an international level Susan is the Deputy Chairman of the Research and Telemedicine Committee of the World Organisation of Gastroenterology and is a partner in two new projects in the Information Society Technologies Programme of the EU. Further information is available on website: http//www.leeds.ac.uk/cisu/