Summer 2008 Key Contributors

Tom Blackadar

Fitsense

Tom gracefully navigated technical and schedule hurdles in order to demonstrate the first Continua-compliant USB glucose meter in support of the Luxembourg demo and plugfest. He also led the development of ISO/IEEE 11073-10417 glucose meter device specialization, soliciting input and review from numerous industry players. Additionally, he took leadership of the Disease Management Sub-Team and authored the related sections of the Continua V1 Interoperability Guidelines. Tony's technical expertise and great communication & interpersonal skills enabled cooperative efforts among numerous individuals and companies and drove consensus on key issues in order to complete this work.

Tom is always eager to contribute in TWG meetings, providing constructive comments and facilitating as necessary. He took on an incredible amount of work by volunteering to fill a critical path gap as the primary author of the ISO/IEEE 11073-10407 blood pressure monitor device specialization. This entailed immersing himself into the details of blood pressure monitor data modeling and soliciting input and review from numerous industry players. Tom's great attitude and respect of others helped to drive team consensus and approval.

Tom founded FitSense Technology in 1997. With a vision for bringing the human body on line in everyday living, it is now time for our bodies to speak out. In 2007, he merged the company with FitLinxx Inc. a company with a very similar vision. With new management at FitLinxx, Tom is now able to jump back into the technical side of operations, and is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Science Officer. Tom and FitLinxx are innovating solutions for wireless personal diagnostic monitoring. With over 15 patents more patents pending Tom has a unique perspective on wireless health monitoring. Furthermore he has spoken at the inaugural wearable computing conference, was marketing chair for the second and a guest speaker at the 2005 IEEE International Workshop on Wearable & Implantable Body Sensor Networks. Tom was trained in Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science and Electrical engineering at the University of New Hampshire.

Prior to Founding FitSense Technology, Inc. Tom held various positions at BBN Inc. from 1981-1997 (working on Al Gore's Internet), and holds the record for bringing down the entire then internet in 1982 at 3am on morning testing diagnostic code against LDP.

Petra Wilson

Cisco Systems Inc.

Petra Wilson worked diligently to bring together the successful EU Advocacy Day and Calliope project through the European Policy Working Group. She has also been important in promoting the Continua Brand throughout the European Market.

Petra Wilson is a director in the Healthcare team of Cisco's Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG), focusing on helping healthcare providers and deciders develop their strategies and implementation plans for "Connected Health" information management and technology.

Previously, she was deputy director of the European Health Management Association (EHMA), a membership organisation committed to improving healthcare in Europe by raising standards of managerial performance in the health sector. At EHMA she had responsibility for the association's Brussels' office and, in particular, EHMA's relationship with the European Commission. In that role, Petra advised a wide number of European healthcare organisations on EU-level health policy and assisted them in engaging with policy-makers in the Commission.

Prior to EHMA, Petra worked for the European Commission in its eHealth Directorate. She worked specifically on the European eHealth Action Plan, which commits all member states of the European Union to adopt road maps for the implementation of Connected Health solutions. Petra also advised the Commission on legal and ethical issues surrounding use of information technologies in healthcare.

Alongside her role at Cisco Petra currently holds the chairmanship of the European Policy Workgroup of the Continua Health Alliance, as well as the chair of the Governing Council of Health Information and Management Systems Society Europe. She is also acts as an advisor to the Health on the Net Foundation.

Originally trained in law, Petra spent several years as a lecturer and Senior Research Fellow at Nottingham University, UK, specializing in healthcare law and European law. She has a Ph.D. in public health law from Oxford University, and has published widely on the legal aspects of using information technologies in healthcare. Originally from the UK, she is fluent in English, German, and French.

Anthony Butt

Roche Diagnostics

Anthony gracefully navigated technical and schedule hurdles in order to demonstrate the first Continua-compliant USB glucose meter in support of the Luxembourg demo and plugfest. He also led the development of ISO/IEEE 11073-10417 glucose meter device specialization, soliciting input and review from numerous industry players. Additionally, he took leadership of the Disease Management Sub-Team and authored the related sections of the Continua V1 Interoperability Guidelines. Tony's technical expertise and great communication & interpersonal skills enabled cooperative efforts among numerous individuals and companies and drove consensus on key issues in order to complete this work.

Anthony has worked at Roche for almost seven years initially working in infrastructure for their Core IT department and more recently in their Diabetes Care Division. He is currently the Network and Communications analyst in the Product IT department. He is responsible for interoperability within the product portfolio. Anthony manages the internal communication specification used by Glucose meters and works as a functional project lead on a number of applications with which they interface.

Anthony has been involved with the Continua Health Alliance for over two years and acts as the internal coordinator of Roche's participation within Continua. His contributions to date include developing and reviewing the requirements and interoperability Guidelines for version one and representing Roche in the Technical Working Group and Disease Management sub-team. He is a true believer in Continua's cause and looks forward to help drive its success.

Anthony has a degree from the University of Wales, Swansea in English Literature and Master of Science Information Technology from Capella University with a specialization in Network Design and Infrastructure.