Career
In 1971, MacLeod developed and became the director of the United States" first federal Health Maintenance Organization (health maintenance organization ) program He was recruited by Elliot Richardson, former secretary of the United States. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. He criticized Pennsylvania"s preparedness, in the event of a nuclear accident, at the time for not having potassium iodide in stock, which protects the thyroid gland in the event of radiation exposure, as well as for not having any physicians on Pennsylvania"s equivalent of the nuclear regulatory commission.
MacLeod was elected President of the University Senate and of the Faculty Assembly of the University of Pittsburgh in 1997.
He also co-edited and wrote several chapters of Health Care Capital: Competition and Control, which was the first book written on capital financing of health care services.