At Houston Methodist, the Clinical Informaticist position is responsible for independently analyzing, resolving and/or escalating physician/clinician concerns relating to enterprise-wide electronic health record (EHR) and other clinical technology tools such as mobile devices and bedside monitors. This position consults and collaborates with nursing, physicians, clinicians, and IT teams in order to jointly resolve advanced technical and workflow issues. The Clinical Informaticist position leads the development and execution of clinical integration and improvement strategies for value-added patient outcomes, enhanced efficiencies and reduced variation in care, participating in system implementation processes as needed.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develops and maintains key physician, nursing, and sponsor relationships within the organization and motivates clinical end-user adoption of the EHR.

• Exercises independent judgment when proactively or reactively addressing physician and nursing end-user adoption issues.

• Participates in and/or leads physician (end-user) focus groups and complies and responds to feedback as needed. Participates and facilitates hospital technology committees as needed.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Educates and trains end-users and application teams to adapt the system to meet their clinical workflow needs. Provides training enhancement opportunities with clinicians within the unit.

• Participates and distributes training materials, tips and tricks, and newsletter updates to customers/units to insure access to new features and functions. Intentionally rounds with patients/customers to ensure needs are met. Participates in System Governance Councils.

• Communicates effectively with clients to identify needs and evaluate alternative business solutions.

• Reviews and edits requirements, specifications, business processes and makes recommendations for solutions.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Coaches clinical end-users on the system functionality and how to integrate the EMR to facilitate their daily workflow.

• Leverages reporting tools to support operational needs. Identifies and documents system deficiencies and recommends solutions. Ensures issues are identified, tracked, reported prioritized and resolved in a timely manner.

• Proactively communicates potential issues, plans for resolution, status updates and their affect on the department to customers and management.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assists customers with developing cost estimates for technology related business plans and enhancement requests.

• Creates and enforces project deadlines and schedules.

• Sets customer expectations, prioritizes tasks, and delivers solutions on time.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Partners with end users to: analyze and create enhancement requests; assists in identifying initial design needs; captures required data elements and anticipated workflow changes to streamline the enhancement request process.

• Proactively identifies ways to enhance technology to support clinical practice. Keeps up to date on market technology innovations that could be leveraged to enhance clinical practice and patient care.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree in clinical field such as Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, etc.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Six years of clinical workflow experience

• Informatics or end user clinical field support experience strongly preferred

• Experience with clinical system implementation strongly preferred

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• RN - Registered Nurse - Texas State Licensure and/or Compact State Licensure within 60 days OR
• RN-Temp - Registered Nurse - Temporary State Licensure within 60 days OR
• PharmD - Doctor of Pharmacy OR
• PHRM - Pharmacist - State Licensure OR
• MRT - Medical Radiologic Technologist - State Licensure OR
• PT - Physical Therapist - State Licensure AND
• EPIC - Certification within 6 months OR
• EPIC-Clov - Cloverleaf Certification (Level I, II,or III) within 6 months OR
• EPIC - Beacon Certification within 6 months OR
• EPIC - Willow Certification within 6 months

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Demonstrated client service and relationship building skills

• Demonstrated ability to communicate with a wide variety of end-users, at varying technology skill levels, including the ability to develop and deliver presentation material. Effectively communicates with executives, senior leaders and other clinical professionals across the organization

• Ability to exercise independent judgment and maintain confidentiality

• Ability to integrate technology in a patient care setting, and function independently in a fast-paced environment

• Positive approach to work and the work environment

• Proficient in MS Office suite including PowerPoint, Excel and Microsoft Project

• Demonstrated ability to think critically, solve problems and meet client expectations

• Knowledge of Exlipsys or other EMP: Portal or PHR Knowledge preferred

• Strong understanding of the workflow of clinical applications with regard to the impact to the clinician and patient outcomes

• Demonstrated strong project management experience

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* Yes

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

Houston Methodist (HM) is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers.  HM consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, and seven community hospitals throughout the greater Houston metropolitan area.  HM also includes an academic institute, a comprehensive residency program, a global business division, numerous physician practices and several free-standing emergency rooms and outpatient facilities.  Overall, HM employs over 25,000 employees.   Houston Methodist is supported by a wide variety of business functions that operate at the system level to help enable clinical departments to provide the best patient care and service in a spiritual environment.

 

In 2019 Houston Methodist and its physicians treat more than 6,333 international patients from more than 76 countries. Houston Methodist Global Health Care Services’ consulting and education divisions also provide advisory services and training and development to health care organizations around the world.