In 1988, Dr. Julia Hallisy received her Doctorate in Dental Surgery from the University of California at San Francisco School of Dentistry. Since then, she has been in continuous private practice in San Francisco, California. Her second child, Katherine Eileen, was diagnosed at five months of age with bilateral retinoblastoma. Dealing with her daughter’s life-threatening diagnosis, the many recurrences of cancer, and the subsequent treatments for the malignant and aggressive tumors marked the beginning an almost 20-year involvement in our healthcare system. The unique combination of her scientific training, her work as a healthcare provider, and guiding a child through a chronic illness has afforded her invaluable insight as an advocate for patients.
Dr. Hallisy is committed to and passionate about the subjects of patient safety, health care reform and medical error reduction. Her personal and professional goals include working diligently to help give patients a voice in healthcare solutions, and she has many years of experience. In 2006, Dr. Hallisy was a recipient of a scholarship from the National Patient Safety Foundation to attend their annual national congress as a consumer advocate. Dr. Hallisy most recently worked with AARP on a patient advocate journal and has lobbied for health care reform in Washington, DC with Consumer’s Union. She has also written a book called The Empowered Patient, a book that enables patients and their loved ones to successfully navigate complex medical delivery systems
Dr. Hallisy was born and raised in San Francisco, where she lives with her husband, John Hallisy, and their two sons, Daniel and Kevin. The Hallisy’s ten-year old daughter, Kate, lost her life-long battle with cancer in February 2000.