Barwon Health appoints health veteran as CIO

Victorian state-owned public health operator Barwon Health has promoted Sharon Hakkennes to the role of chief information officer, filling a vacancy left by the departure of Ann Larkins last year.

Hakkennes has worked in the healthcare industry for more than 20 years and has served in numerous roles since joining Barwon Health in March 2014. Her previous roles for the organisation include director of health informatics and information management officer.

Outside of Barwon Health, Hakkennes is a director of the Kids Plus Foundation, an organisation that delivers multi-disciplinary therapy programs for young people with neuro developmental disabilities, and a member of the department’s clinical informatics reference group.

The vacancy at Barwon Health was created after Larkins left in July last year to become the executive director of information development at Alfred Health.

Barwon Health chief executive Paul Cohen said Hakkennes had contributed to a number of major IT projects, including several Sharepoint-based initiatives.

“[Hakkennes’] innovative approach and exceptional analytical skills have resulted in the development and implementation of Barwon Health’s enterprise metadata registry and information asset registry,” Cohen said.

“[Hakkennes] has also spearheaded the ongoing development of HEART, Barwon Health’s new online reporting data warehouse, which delivers timely access reports that inform how we provide care.”

The implementation of Barwon Health’s 2015/20 strategic plan will be a key focus for Hakkennes in the new role.

The health network provides a range of medical services to around 350,000 residents of Geelong, the Surf Coast and the Bellarine Peninsula in southwest Victoria.

Its 6500 staff and 1300 volunteers also provide services such as oncology and cardiology to cities and towns as far as the South Australian border through the SWARH (South West Alliance of Rural Health).