Sr Director Informatics and CNIO

At Houston Methodist, the Sr Director Informatics and Chief Nursing Informatics Officer (CNIO) position is responsible for serving as the strategic liaison for health Information Technology (IT) efforts representing nursing needs. This position coordinates and collaborates with administrative teams, clinical leaders, information technology, financial and quality/regulatory/risk management among others in the development of high-quality and innovative clinical information systems that assist the nurse in the delivery of care.

The Sr Director position has a direct report to a VP level or above and directs work that has a significant impact on the organization and strategic goals. This position leads or directs key programs; large scope (i.e., system-wide, TMC, or all community hospitals). The scope for the Sr Director position involves setting the strategic vision and administration and has responsibility for multiple budgets (operational and capital) and/or directs work that has significant financial implications including high-level oversight of the activities within the assigned functional area(s), ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence, and efficiency to accomplish strategic and operational objectives. In addition, the Sr Director position is accountable for employee engagement, adequate staffing levels, budget development and compliance, and developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment. This position also ensures training, monitoring and operations initiatives are implemented which secure compliance with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation/regulatory/government regulations. The Sr Director position may serve in lieu of an entity director for the assigned functional area(s). This position may also have direct reports to include director-level employees.

FLSA STATUS
Exempt

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Master’s degree in nursing, healthcare informatics, business administration or healthcare administration
• Doctor of Nursing Practice or PhD in nursing or informatics preferred

EXPERIENCE

• Ten years experience in IT or nursing to include five years of people management experience in a healthcare environment and three years of informatics experience

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Required

• RN - Registered Nurse - Texas State Licensure - Texas Board of Nursing_PSV Compact Licensure - Must obtain permanent Texas license within 60 days (if establishing Texas residency)

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing 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 about activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
• Demonstrates the ability to interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization
• Ability to use appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one’s own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations and individuals involved
• Demonstrates leadership qualities and critical thinking through self-direction initiative and effective interpersonal skills and oral/written communication skills
• Ability to identify and understand issues, problems and opportunities, comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences
• Extensive knowledge of regulatory and accreditation agency requirements that impact department; stays abreast of industry changes
• Demonstrates highly effective communication skills—strong written communications and platform presentation abilities
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in the workplace
• Capable of leading teams/facilitating groups, building consensus and garnering highest confidence in professionalism and work product by senior leadership
• Ability to work under pressure and balance many competing priorities; highly responsive and solution/action oriented
• Proficiency in spreadsheet, word processing, and presentation software
• Maintains a positive and supportive attitude and demeanor
• Professional handling of exposure to confidential/sensitive information
• Understanding of the impact of regulatory changes and ability to interprest for internal and external constituents
• Ability to convert abstract concepts into concrete solutions
• Ability to convey vision and effectively communicate to all stakeholders
• Understanding of inherent risks and advances of creative ideas
• Ability to see beyond current process and procedure to develop solutions to current and yet to be encountered roadblocks
• Ability to inspire others through personal confidence, interactions and communication of ideas

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Sets the strategic vision and administration and is responsible for multiple budgets (operational and capital) and/or directs work that has significant financial implications including high-level oversight of the activities within the assigned functional area(s), ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence, and efficiency to accomplish strategic and operational objectives.
• Directs, develops, and implements strategic and operational/high-level projects and processes through independent/highly autonomous work or through the facilitation of work teams to enable the effective and efficient completion of objectives.
• Oversees and ensures development for staff to meet overall objectives in terms of quality, service, and cost effectiveness. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem. Provides a functional area oversight guidance and directs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees.
• Reviews metrics for the function on a holistic basis. Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators.
• Provides leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting function leadership meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all direct reports, completing performance appraisals, conducting new hire feedback sessions, coaching/corrective counseling, and providing recognition/commendations to achieve desired outcomes. Ensures information pertinent to function operations cascades appropriately to each entity.
• Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one’s functional area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals. Drives the promotion of teamwork within and between entities and departments; participates and/or leads system function process improvements as needed.
• Collaborates with administration, medical staff, and IT leaders to translate clinician requirements into coordinated specifications for new clinical solutions. Interfaces with nursing staff to ensure clinical technologies are meeting needs and seeks out ideas for innovative enhancements to improve nursing workflow.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Oversees functional area department operations, designated projects, schedules, and activities as needed to ensure that system goals or objectives are accomplished within the prescribed time frame. Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to function leadership and staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.
• Drives department service standards and activities to impact department and/or system score for patient/customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a voice for the functional area.
• Develops clinical systems strategies and roadmaps in collaboration with senior nursing, medical informatics, and operational leaders. Ensures effective two-way communication with stakeholders. Partners with clinical and IT leaders in evaluating the effectiveness of technologies and workflows that impact clinical users. Defines health IT requirements for nursing and other disciplines.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines. Responsible for ensuring leaders in the functional area stay abreast of staff maintenance of credentials and competencies, per accrediting/licensing agency and/or department guidelines as applicable.
• Establishes and maintains a functional area alignment of policies, processes, and goals. Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes and information systems by monitoring and improving the system-wide workflow and enhancing operations, using peer-to-peer accountability and identifying solutions via collaboration. Designs and implements functional area process improvements utilizing tools such as lean principles. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.
• Responsible for ensuring leaders in the functional area stay abreast of employee compliance to policies and procedures and perform associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., licensure/certification compliance, focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).
• Assesses evolving patient care delivery models, hospital operations, human resource processes, healthcare finance and payment models impacting the continuum of care.
• Ensures nursing practices and corresponding policies and procedures related to health IT follow appropriate practice acts DMV/Joint Commission requirements and other applicable standards.
• Ensures quality improvement efforts are consistent with promoting informatics research, regulatory bodies, and guidelines as well as evidence-based practice that supports positive clinical outcomes.
• Provides critical analysis and evaluation of health IT and recommends revision of clinical systems, processes, and workflows to ensure achievement of positive patient outcomes. Facilitates and maintains standards of care that inform evidence-based practice, quality of care, patient safety and clinician workflows. Provides leadership over disaster planning and recovery strategies consistent with principles of high reliability. Implements downtime readiness procedures and internal reporting regarding system response time and service level agreements for connectivity and operational effectiveness of health IT.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provides input on the development and management of operational and capital budgets, approvals, and ongoing maintenance of the department(s), ensuring operation in a cost-effective manner. Proactively identifies and plans for capital needs related to current equipment and future system projects. Ensures staffing plans and schedules meet system needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.
• Creates functional area strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to functional area specifications.
• Performs vendor management functions and oversees contract negotiation, contract development, and conformance to contract procedures and evaluation of expenditures.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies, designs, and ensures implementation of innovative solutions for the functional area. Proactively participates in task forces and committees. May represent HM at assigned community or professional organization meetings.
• Drives change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures. Partners effectively with stakeholders as appropriate.
• Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates Individual Development Plan (IDP) on an ongoing basis. Conducts conversations with direct reports on their development and IDP.
• Acts as a change agent in the identification, development, planning, implementation, and value measurement of informatics strategies to support quality patient care and professional practice.
• Promotes advancement of clinical analytics and business intelligence to assist in evaluating patient outcomes to support research and operational improvement. Also promotes the use of health IT to improve patient safety by designing, developing, implementing and educating on decision support tools. Stays abreast of industry trends and best practices and cascades throughout the organization.

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

• WORK ATTIRE
  • Uniform: No
  • Scrubs: No
  • Business professional: No
  • 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

Work Shift:

1 - Day (United States of America)

Job Category:

Non-clinical Houston Methodist is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers. The health system consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the Texas Medical Center, seven community hospitals and one long-term acute care hospital throughout the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Houston Methodist also includes a research institute; a comprehensive residency program; international patient services; freestanding comprehensive care clinics, emergency care and imaging centers; and outpatient facilities. Come lead with us!

Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.