Gail MacKean is an experienced health researcher and consultant. She has worked on a number of collaborative research and evaluation teams with health organization decision-makers over the past 20 years. Particular areas of interest include: patient, family and citizen engagement in health services planning and decision-making; patient and family centered care; healthcare quality and safety; and organizational and systems change. Mackean’s experience as a parent of a child born and living with complex medical problems is a key contributing factor to these areas of interest. Her interest in inter-organizational networks lays in their promise as a potentially powerful mechanism for addressing complex health and human service issues.
MacKean has a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy from the University of Manitoba, a Masters in Public Administration from Carleton University, and a PhD in Community Health Sciences (Health Research). Her doctoral research focus was patient and family centered care. She is an Adjunct Assistant Professor with the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary and a member of the Calgary Institute for Public Health.