Our people
Under the National Health Reform Act 2011, the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority's (IHACPA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is a statutory office holder and reports to the Pricing Authority, which reports to the Minister for Health and Ageing.
The CEO is responsible for the effective delivery of IHACPA’s work program and supports the Pricing Authority to fulfil its functions.
Several sections support the core activities of IHACPA, including:
- Pricing and Analytics
- Costing Data and Infrastructure
- Hospital Policy and Classification
- Aged Care Policy
- Corporate Affairs.
Professor Michael Pervan
Chief Executive Officer
Professor Michael Pervan commenced as the Chief Executive Officer of IHACPA on 1 February 2023.
Prior to this appointment, Prof Pervan was Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania. Prof Pervan is:
• Professor of Health Services, University of Tasmania (since 2018)
• Fellow, Australian College of Health Service Executives (2018)
• National Councillor, Australian Health and Hospitals Association (2009 – 2019)
• Board Member, Australian Health Care Reform Alliance (2009 – 2019).
As Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Tasmania, Prof Pervan was responsible for designing and implementing major health sector and organisational reforms.
Prof Pervan has represented Western Australia and Tasmania at the Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council and at Council of Australian Governments working groups on system reform, health workforce and mental health over a number of years.
This has included leading financial governance initiatives, and implementing reform programs across health, human services, child protection, out of home care, youth justice and ambulance services as part of his role at the Department of Health and Human Services Tasmania.
Joanne Fitzgerald
Executive Director, Hospital Policy and Classification
Joanne Fitzgerald has worked at IHACPA since 2012, and currently holds the position of Executive Director, Hospital Policy and Classification. Prior to this, she was Director, AR-DRG Development where she was responsible for developing and managing the Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups classification system.
Joanne holds a degree in Bachelor of Applied Science (Health Information Management) from the University of Sydney. She has more than 20 years’ experience as a health information manager working with health classifications in both the public and private health sector. Joanne has worked as a clinical coder, manager of medical record departments and at the NSW Ministry of Health.
Professor Kees van Gool
Executive Director, Pricing and Analytics
Professor Kees van Gool leads the team responsible for the pricing and funding functions undertaken by the agency.
Prof van Gool joined IHACPA from the University of Technology Sydney, where he was Deputy Director, Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, and Chief Investigator of the Centre for Research Excellence on Value-Based Payments in Cancer Care.
He brings his extensive experience in international, national, and regional health policy research, and quantitative skills in micro-economic modelling and linked data uses.
Laura Harris
Executive Director, Aged Care Policy
Laura Harris joined IHAPCA in 2019 and currently leads the team responsible for aged care policies and approval of refundable accommodation deposits higher than the maximum accommodation payment, and extra service fees. Previously, Laura was Director, Classifications where she was responsible for the development of national classification systems. Laura’s career has been in the health sector at both state and national levels, and she has held various leadership positions responsible for hospital funding. Laura has also worked in health classifications and medical research.
Laura holds a Bachelor, Exercise Physiology; Bachelor Science, Honours Neuroscience; and a Masters, Health Information Management.
Julia Hume
Executive Director, Costing and Data Infrastructure
Julia Hume is currently the Executive Director, Costing and Data Infrastructure, and has worked at IHACPA since 2013. As the Executive Director, Costing and Data Infrastructure, Julia leads the teams responsible for the functions of costing, pricing, data acquisition and IT infrastructure.
Julia has worked extensively on the National Hospital Cost Data Collection for both the public and private sectors. She holds a degree in Bachelor of Applied Science (Health Information Management) and a Masters in Political Economy from Sydney University. She has previously held roles across the health sector including working in health insurance and cancer research.
Julia has worked in the international development sector in several post-conflict countries.
Olga Liavas
General Counsel and Executive Director, Corporate Affairs
Olga Liavas joined IHACPA in 2015 as Executive Officer and then General Counsel. She currently holds the position of Executive Director, Corporate Affairs. The Corporate Affairs branch is a diverse team responsible for delivering IHACPA’s communications, corporate, legal, risk and compliance, secretariat, stakeholder engagement and workforce development services.
Olga was admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of NSW in 1992 and joined the Australian Government Solicitor in 1993 where she advised on complex and high-profile administrative and competition law matters, including challenges to the constitutional convention and the decision to build the OPAL reactor. In 2004, Olga joined the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency. As Branch Head, Legal and Corporate Services, Olga represented Australia on the OECD Nuclear Law Committee and in numerous international delegations providing advice on the development of legislation for radiation protection and nuclear safety.