Day by Day

Dr Peter Gow is a Clinical  Associate Professor of Medicine and rheumatologist at Counties Manukau DHB, where he is also the Clinical Director of Patient and  Whanau Centred Care, and of Adult Rehabilitation and Health of Older People. He is a current member of the National Hauora Coalition Alliance Leadership Team, and in this role helped to develop the framework for the Oranga Ki Tua (Long Term Conditions)strategy. His current research and audit interests include the development of an integrated health and whanau ora based system enabled by Health Information Technology, which is assisted by his involvement with the implementation of the National Health IT Plan in his role as Chair of the clinical advisory group (NICLG) for the National Health IT Board. As a result of this he has been a judge for the HINZ Clinician’s Challenge since its inauguration, and has also been a judge at quality forums at Waitemata and Counties Manukau DHBs.

Dr Paul Ralph is a Lecturer in Computer Science at the University of Auckland. His research centres on the theoretical and empirical study of software, game and information systems development including projects, processes, practices, tools and designer cognition, socialization, productivity, wellbeing and effectiveness. His research has been published by IEEE, ACM, AIS, Springer and Elsevier. Paul also provides interaction design and development process consulting for software and game development companies. He holds a PhD in Information Systems from The University of British Columbia.

Mitchell Pham is a technology, business and social entrepreneur.  He is a Co-founder, Director, Board member, and head of Marketing & International Development of the Augen Software Group, as well as Chairman of the group’s operation in Asia, and head of its iHDSS (Integrated Health-Disability-Social Services) business in New Zealand.

Mitchell has 21 years of experience in informatics, software products & services, sales & marketing, international operations, integrated health-disability-social services, strategy development, collaborative partnerships, business growth through innovation, and governance.

Since 1993, Mitchell has been leading Augen in helping Health, Disability and Social Services organisations improve efficiencies, operate in an increasingly connected world, respond to greater reporting, transparency and outcome measures, and put Service User Experience at the forefront of engagement and innovation.  Their work spans across a diverse range of services, including: Disability Support; Family / Children / Youth / Older People; Indigenous / Maori / Pacific Islands / Whanau Ora; Integration & Resettlement (Migrants / Refugees); Mental Health / Addiction; Nursing; Pharmaceutical / Medication; Rehabilitation; Social Services; Vocational / Occupational / Employment Services.

Outside of Augen, Mitchell served on the Board of Refugee Services Aotearoa (now part of NZ Red Cross), is a Co-founder & Trustee of the Auckland Refugee Family Trust (ARFT) and the Foundation for Social Responsibility NZ (FOStR-NZ), a Trustee of the Asia:NZ Foundation, and an Advisor at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Jared Poppelbaum is Director Population Health at Atlantis Health. He has ten years’ commercial experience in the healthcare sector, including positions within industry and management consulting.  Jared has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce and is currently studying toward his Masters in Public Health.

He started as a business analyst at Merck Sharpe and Dohme, leading an international project which introduced disease epidemiology into the business planning process. Jared then moved to London and worked as a management consultant, supporting global healthcare companies develop health economic models, funding submissions and value propositions for their products. Upon his return to New Zealand Jared took up the role of National Commercial manager for Roche products, leading the health economic modeling and funding negotiations with PHARMAC. These role enabled Jared to develop a deep understanding of both clinical and cost effectiveness issues arising in disease areas such as; Oncology, Diabetes, Cardiovascular, Auto-immune and Respiratory. Jared joined Atlantis Healthcare three years ago and has played a key role in developing capabilities in the public health sector that include. This has included the creation of strategic alliances health IT vendors, PHO’s, DHB’s and the Ministry of Health. Jared has a special interest in health economics and outcomes research and is a committee member of ISPOR (International Society of Pharmacoeconomic and Outcomes Research) New Zealand chapter.

Jo Fitzpatrick is a consumer advocate and representative and has served on the Consumer Group for the National Health IT Board.