Meet the Sparked Technical Co-Chairs: Angus Millar
Meet Angus Millar – Client Systems Integration Analyst for Sonic Healthcare, and an AU eRequesting Technical Design Group Co-Chair.
Angus has a strong pathology background, working amongst multiple departments within a family pathology business before finding his passion in pathology IT. Angus has worked within a variety of organisations and roles, including Kestral computing where he was running LIS development, QLD Health’s state-wide centre implementation for pathology orders and results, NeHTA and ADHA where he was a senior solution architect, and within his current role at Sonic Healthcare, where he is building a FHIR based eRequesting solution with Magentus. Angus brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Sparked as a co-chair of the eRequesting TDG, and we are very grateful to have him within our Sparked community.
We asked Angus some questions about his involvement with the Sparked program, this is what he had to say:
🤔 What is your working background?
Literal born into a laboratory of a fledgling pathology family business, headlong into a lab assistant role in Haematology. Spent the next 15 years working every each classical department and specimen reception, accounts, couriers; I’ve even taken blood. Found my passion in Pathology I.T. and moved to Kestral Computing where eight years later I was running LIS development. QLD Health’s state-wide Cerner implementation for pathology orders & results, senior solution architect at NeHTA and ADHA for six years, connecting pathology providers to My Health Record. Sonic Healthcare in 2021, building a FHIR based eRequesting solution with Magentus.
🤔 How did you become involved with Sparked?
Before Sparked, I’d been involved in HL7 Australia’s FHIR Connectathons from their early inception running the beginners track numerus times. I’d been keenly interested in FHIR and its possibilities from its beginning, influenced by Grahame Greives’ amazing rise from Kestral Computing. I positioned myself to be involved in the Sonic/Magentus FHIR eRequesting implementation. From there it seemed natural to become involved with Sparked.
🤔 What is your role within Sparked?
HL7 Australia AU eRequesting Technical Design Group (TDG) Co-Chair
🤔 What does Sparked mean to you?
Sparked represents the reengagement of the Australian Healthcare industry, with its standards development process.
🤔 What is something that you hope to achieve within the Sparked program?
An engaged community of individuals working towards a shared vision of healthcare connectivity which is contemporary with the age of the internet
🤔 How is the Sparked program different to projects you’ve been involved in before?
Its first and foremost about a community of likeminded people trying to solve big bad problems.
🤔 What’s been your favourite part of working within the Sparked team?
Surely it has to be the pub after a Connectathon, a time to reflect, celebrate our achievements, laugh at our failures, and plot our next successes.
🤔 What would you tell someone wanting to learn more about the Sparked project?
Sign up and attend the online working group meetings. Don’t be shy to speak your views. Don’t fear the unknown, we’re all learning together. None of us know everything and we certainly don’t know how your companies goes about things. If you’re a developer come to a Connectathon and kick the standard around, hack, play and explore. Failures are the key to success.
How will the goals and outcomes of the Sparked Program impact your field/industry/profession?
That we transition beyond mere data transfer and witness the rise of specialized healthcare data services that operate independently from the underlying data they require.
🤔 What’s your favourite Sparked/FHIR pun?
In response to the tragedy that was HL7 CDA and HL7 V3: Fixing HL7’s International Reputation (FHIR)