Clinical Applications Analyst II - IT

JOB SUMMARY:  Serves as a clinical application analyst II to maximize the effective and efficient use of applications related to patient care, clinical productivity, and quality outcomes.  Works closely as a part of the clinical applications team to design, implement, modify, upgrade, enhance, optimize, standardize and support clinical and business operations.  This position provides leadership and direction for incorporating new clinical workflows into clinical applications. Work situations include project leadership, application training, documentation development, analytical thinking, independent decision-making, problem solving, systems analysis, customer service skills, organization, public speaking skills and excellent written and verbal communication skills.  Must establish a good rapport and working relationships with all levels of staff, management, providers, MAHEC executives, vendor personnel, and outside healthcare organizations.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Coordinates with the Clinical Informatics team to maximize effectiveness and efficiency of the EHR system configurations.
• Subject matter expert in clinical applications – coordinates resolution of issues related to EHR and other clinical applications. Tracks issues and works directly with vendors to resolve issues.
• Serves as a liaison between users, the health applications, IT, and leadership teams to ensure a smooth workflow where needed.
• Assists staff with customizations to clinical applications, such as templates, with a focus on a design methodology to simplify data entry and extraction.
• Work collaboratively with IT Service Desk staff on clinical application support issues, system implementation, maintenance, service updates, and work scheduling.
• Develop, publish, and implement training modules and materials for new, existing and upgraded clinical applications, including all education materials, training schedules, exercises, and competency evaluations.
• May deploy development of quick tips, mini programs, web references, etc., which continuously expand the knowledge of clinical application workflows and efficiently integrate them into patient care processes.
• Create and administer training event feedback. Analyze results, make recommendations for training improvement, and integrate changes in curriculum and/or courses, taking into account varying degrees of computer literacy.
• Coordinates appropriate level of instructions and competence/ evaluations required for each end user.
• Gain an in-depth knowledge of clinical applications, operational workflows, and data analysis to maximize clinical applications to complement and improve workflows.
• Assist in the development of policies and procedures for the use of clinical applications and support end user accountability to those policies and procedures.
• Incorporate change management principles to facilitate workflow and business process changes, ensuring the success, standardization, and optimization of clinical applications.
• Provides end-user just in time support and education reinforcement. Provides in-person, phone, and remote application support.
• Actively solicits feedback to inquire of any issues, seek input for change, and observe workflows.
• Acts as a liaison between IT, Operations, Quality and end users.
• Ensure that clinical applications are used in a way to maintain patient confidentiality and privacy, in accordance with HIPAA and all other applicable regulatory agency requirements.
• Work directly with application vendors to ensure recommended workflows, materials, tools, etc. are used in training curriculum.

This role description is a general description of the essential job functions.  It is not intended to describe all the duties the Clinical Applications Analyst I may perform.

KEY COMPETENCIES:

• Communication Skills

Effectively and respectably communicate with other individuals, whether it be a colleague, patient, or patient’s family member and appropriately enumerate information in a manner easily understood by all parties. We do this to foster a culture of understanding between all parties, especially in complex and difficult situations, to ultimately provide the best care possible to our patients and their families.

• Decision Making

Ability to make the most appropriate decision in a given situation and then taking the next steps to ensure appropriate and timely completion. This requires conflict resolution skills, critical thinking skills, confidence in your ability to make the right decision in most situations. This also includes ability to prioritize your workday appropriately to ensure the most important tasks are completed on time.

• HealthCare Knowledge

Having the drive to keep yourself abreast and up to date on the new breakthroughs in your area of expertise and communicating them to the rest of the team, as appropriate.  This also includes keeping up with your licensure and yearly training requirements within your area expertise along with MAHEC’s organizational training. Finally, the ability to apply the depth of knowledge maintained and gained through this process in real life scenarios as appropriate.

• Interpersonal Skills

Showing the ability to meet difficult situations with grace, professionalism, and understanding. Within your area of expertise, showing respect and showing empathy where appropriate with your colleagues, patients, and their family at all times, even when its most difficult to do so. This is done, in part, by effective listening, being your authentic self, showing responsibility and dependability, and being patient with others.

• Organizational Values

Adherence to MAHEC’s founding principles and incorporating them every day. This includes, among others, having integrity and accountability, reverence for other cultures and equitable practices, ability to manage change, and displaying a clear understanding of organizational dynamics. Doing these things creates a culture where people want to do the best for each other and gives personal ownership towards the goal of helping people in their time of need.

• Problem Solving

Having an analytical mind and ability to work autonomously to solve complex problems that may arise. The wherewithal to think logically through a difficult problem and come to an appropriate resolution for a given issue. This helps to drive continuous improvement by thinking through where we can improve in a novel way. Measures success by understanding where we are currently and where we want to go and then applying those new ideas to affect positive change.

SPECIFIED SKILLS

COMPUTER SKILLS:

• Knowledge and experience with relational databases, their structure, and concepts of how data is stored and retrieved required. 
• Must have a working knowledge of current Windows version operating system environment and how files are managed. 

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

• Strong facilitation skills required, as related to leading EHR-related meetings with business office staff, managers, clinical staff, and faculty physicians.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills required. 
• Must demonstrate a high level of attention to detail.
• Must demonstrate discretion in dealing with confidential medical, fiscal, and personnel information, as is appropriate to position.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Sometimes stands, walks, and stoops or kneels.  Occasionally sits and reaches with hands and arms.  Frequently uses hands/fingers.
• Sometimes lifts up to 25 pounds.
• Uses vision for effective communication and computer work.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

None

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree and 4-7 years of experience supporting Electronic Health Records. 
• Allscripts Pro EHR experience preferred but not required.
• Must have knowledge and experience working with an EHR and practice management systems and their integration into a clinical practice setting.
• Ability to work independently, initiate, and complete tasks with minimal supervision required.
• Must demonstrate appropriate service orientation in all interactions.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills required.
• Ability to appropriately and professionally handle multiple, competing priorities required.

REQUIRED LICENSES:

None

SCHEDULE:

Regular attendance on-site is an essential function of this position. Typical business hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (or flexed to best meet the needs of the clients and/or the Division); 40 hours per workweek; weekend, holiday, or evening coverage is occasionally required. Work hours will need to be flexible in order to respond to special work assignments, or evening activities, as requested by the team leader.