Director Clinical Applications

The Director of Clinical Applications at Vanova Health is responsible for the planning, implementation, support, and maintenance of clinical applications across Vanova. This includes optimization of the Athena clinical information system across multiple entities under an Athena MEO (multi-entity organization) agreement. The role is centered on optimizing clinical workflows to enhance patient care outcomes through effective use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) and related clinical systems. This includes comprehensive training, data management, vendor coordination, collaborating with clinicians, and fostering a productive relationship with Athena. The role will work to ensure that clinical systems are efficient, effective, and aligned with the organization's strategic goals

The role also involves developing and overseeing consistent policies, reporting, and analysis to support clinical decision-making and quality improvement efforts, ensuring reliable, accurate, and efficient use of the overall EHR system.

The role reports to the Chief Operating Officer

Location: Hybrid/Verona office/some travel

1. Management of Clinical Applications and Athena MEO services:
• Lead the planning, implementation, and maintenance of clinical applications including, the Athena EHR system to optimize clinical workflows and enhance patient care outcomes.
• Manage Athena services within Vanova Health, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and clinical practices.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for communication with Athena, maintaining a positive and collaborative relationship.
• Coordinate Athena system upgrades, enhancements, and issue resolution with internal teams and external vendors.
2. Analysis, Strategic Direction, and Planning:
• Lead the Vanova Health multi-disciplinary governance team.
• Conduct detailed analysis of clinical workflows and information systems to identify improvement opportunities.
• Develop and maintain EHR policies and procedures for the network, including robust security protocols for patient information.
• Develop annual strategic plan for the implementation and optimization of the Athena EHR.
• Collaborate with clinical leadership and cross-functional teams to ensure systems support patient care processes and health outcomes.
3. Implementation and Maintenance:
• Overseeing the deployment of new clinical applications and upgrades to existing ones.
• Managing the day-to-day support and troubleshooting of clinical applications for users, including clinicians and other staff.
• Oversee the deployment, integration, and configuration of EHR systems, ensuring timely and efficient implementation.
• Ensure clinical systems are maintained for optimal functionality, security, and compliance with healthcare regulations.
• Coordinate with IT, clinical staff, and external vendors to ensure seamless system integration and support.
• Collaborating with clinical informatics professionals to ensure that applications are designed and implemented to meet clinical needs.
4. Training and User Support:
• Provide training, support and performance coaching for new and existing users on proper use of clinical applications, ensuring accurate and efficient documentation and reporting.
• Develop user-centric training materials, including manuals, videos, and quick reference guides.
• Offer ongoing support, troubleshooting, and education to optimize user proficiency and satisfaction.
5. Patient Portal Support:
• Support and promote the utilization of the patient portal to enhance patient engagement and communication.
• Collaborate with clinical teams to optimize patient workflows and communication via the portal.
• Resolve technical issues related to patient portal access and functionality.
6. Data Collection, Reporting, and Analysis:
• Develop and oversee EHR data collection methods to ensure accurate and reliable data entry and reporting.
• Perform data analysis to support clinical decision-making, operational efficiency, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Provide actionable insights and reports to clinical leadership to inform strategic decisions.
7. Vendor Coordination and Collaboration:
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the integration and operation of clinical information systems.
• Manage vendor relationships, contracts, and service-level agreements.
• Facilitate communication between vendors and internal stakeholders to ensure timely resolution of issues.
8. Team Management:
• As business line grows, supervising a team of applications specialists, managers, and other IT staff.

In essence, the Clinical Applications Director acts as a bridge between clinical staff and the IT organization, ensuring that technology supports and enhances clinical workflows and patient care. 

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Health Informatics, Information Technology, Healthcare Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in clinical information systems, with a focus on EHR implementation and support.
• Proficiency with Athena EHR.
• Experience in conducting user training and providing technical support in a healthcare setting.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Additional Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in health informatics, Information Systems, or a related field.
• Certification in EHR systems, Clinical Informatics, or Health Information Management.
• Athena EHR super user certified.
• Experience in project management or change management within a clinical setting to oversee system implementation and upgrades.
• Knowledge of healthcare regulations including HIPAA and HITECH and data security best practices.

Skills and Competencies:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective collaboration with clinical staff, IT teams, and vendors.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities to manage multiple initiatives concurrently.
• Technical proficiency in EHR systems, data analytics, and health information exchange.
• Ability to translate complex technical information into user-friendly training materials.
• Analytical mindset for data-driven decision-making and strategic planning.
• Growth mindset.

EEOC Statement: Vanguard Health Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

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