Merran Smith, PhD
Chief Executive, Population Health Research Network, Australia at Population Health Research Network, Australia
IPDLN Director 2019-2020
Q: What’s your background?
A: My first degree was a BSc from the University of Melbourne. I was accepted to do a Masters but wanted a change and ended up in the Economics Department of a national bank. There was a lot of jargon and I did an economics degree so I could follow the conversation. It was fun but I was drawn back to science and ran a diagnostic lab in a Melbourne teaching hospital. I did a MSc and PhD in the haemoglobinopathies while I was there. I later moved to Perth (much warmer than Melbourne) where I worked in a range of roles in the Western Australia (WA) Department of Health before joining the PHRN.
Q: How did you get into the linkage space?
A: One of my roles in WA Health was Director of the Health Information Centre. There had been a joint Department-University of Western Australia (UWA) grant to undertake some data linkage and the grant was due to expire just after I arrived. The value of linked health data was clear, and we were able to convince WA Health to establish data linkage as a core service. It started small (one person) and grew to a very capable team over the next few years.
Q: What was some of your early linkage work? What are you working on now?
A: The focus of my early work was growing the WA data linkage infrastructure. This included expanding the linkage system to include additional health data, other human services data (e.g. education, families, justice etc.) and family linkages.
On joining the PHRN, my focus shifted to developing Australia’s data linkage and data access systems. All Australian jurisdictions now have robust linkage systems with at least 10 years of core health data linked. We are working on getting more clinical data into the linkage systems and expanding the usage of the linked data.
As you can see, my work focuses on the linkage infrastructure. It may be less exciting than the actual research but is a vital research enabler.
Q: How did you get involved with IPDLN?
A: I have been involved with IPDLN from the very beginning. UWA had a lead role in establishing IPDLN and I was at the inaugural meeting in London in 2008. The initial Directorship was WA based and I coordinated the IPDLN 2012 conference in Perth. It is a great network and I have been involved in one way or another ever since. There is always something to learn from colleagues in other countries!
Q: How do you see the future of population data linkage?
A: In a word: BRIGHT. It is fundamentally important at so many levels including innovation and discovery, as well as health/human services policy, planning and improvement. This was highlighted in the recent COVID-19 pandemic where linkage systems played such a vital role in informing national responses.
Looking ahead, I see great innovation and discovery opportunities from more systematic inclusion of clinical data (including pathology, omics and imaging) in the linked population data and from use of linked data to help in national responses to global grand challenges such as climate change.