Clinical informatics, IT and healthcare join to create a field filled with opportunity.

 

Informatics and IT - when combined with healthcare - present myriad career possibilities. This is because “doctors are moving toward a greater reliance on information technology and data, creating new education and career paths,” according to a recent article by contributor Arlene Weintraub published in U.S. News and World Report.

According to the American Medical Association, 70 advanced degree programs are available for those interested in pursuing a career in this area, and employment site Indeed.com has listed more than 6,000 positions in the combined IT/informatics and healthcare sectors. Learn more about this growing sector from professionals already paving the way.

 

Weiss Elevates Patient Care at Roswell Park

Those working in the growing and rapidly evolving field of clinical informatics must bring both competency in informatics and a deep understanding of clinical care to their work. As chief medical information officer (CMIO) at Buffalo, NY-based Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Everett Weiss, M.D., emphasizes the importance of developing skills and insights in both areas. 

“My clinical perspective was shaped by my medical practice prior to joining Roswell Park. My clinical informatics expertise grew from my graduate coursework, my volunteer informatics work at an affiliated hospital and my tenure at Allscripts, an electronic health record vendor and software technology company,” notes Weiss, who joined the 3,200-employee, comprehensive cancer center in last year with a Bachelor of Science in psychobiology from the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, and a medical degree and a certificate in clinical informatics from Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) in Portland.

Weiss’ passion for analytics and using data and technology to improve patient care were the driving forces that contributed to his transition from medical practice to clinical informatics and IT. “I realized just how powerful using data and technology solutions could be to clinical providers,” says Weiss, who’s board-certified in both pediatrics and clinical informatics.

Now, as CMIO, he coordinates all technological aspects of multidisciplinary clinical care at Roswell Park and oversees the implementation and adoption of both clinical and patient-facing IT solutions.

“I promote the use of these solutions in in-patient, ambulatory and community settings to improve the safety, quality and efficiency of care delivery and adherence to regulatory and compliance guidelines,” he explains. 

Weiss believes while an informatician can work in any industry, an informatics professional focusing on healthcare should be someone who enjoys using data to solve complex problems. A clinical informatician, he notes, must be able to simultaneously reconcile competing stakeholder interests, interpret diverse data sets toward the goal of improving patient care, streamline operational workflows, and decrease costs.

“A clinical informaticist would typically be someone who has worked, or has a background, in the field and is familiar with workflows, medical terminology and reimbursement models, and is knowledgeable about information technology systems,” he says, adding in these challenges lies the opportunity to make significant contributions to some of the most complex and elusive questions confronting the industry.

“There’s so much innovative work being done - not only in clinical informatics, but also in other specialty areas like biomedical informatics, translational research informatics and nursing informatics - that informaticists can often find their own niche within many organizations,” he notes. “It’s definitely an exciting time to be in this field.”

Calling his work highly rewarding, Weiss appreciates the chance to collaborate with clinicians and key executives with the promise of improving patient care and outcomes, not only via his work at Roswell Park, but as a member of the board of directors of HEALTHeLINK, a non-profit informatics coalition serving the eight counties of Western New York.

“I’m pleased to work with a group of talented and intellectually stimulating people, and look forward to engaging in more mentoring and community activities,” says this consummate medical and IT professional, who additionally holds the distinction of winning three U.S. National Figure Skating Championships during a fulfilling 16-year figure skating career.

Log onto roswellpark.org/careers/listing to view job listings at Roswell Park. Connect on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

 

Perry Makes an Impact at St. Jude Children’s

“At the end of the day, many strive to leave work with the knowledge and satisfaction that they impact something greater than themselves,” says Keith Perry, senior vice president and chief information officer (CIO) at Memphis, TN-headquartered St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. For Perry that’s definitely the case.

With 22 years of experience in healthcare IT - 17 specific to oncology - Perry holds a Bachelor of Science in computer science and a Master of Business Administration. “I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to join St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital without having 13 years of prior experience at a nationally recognized cancer center where the breadth of my responsibilities changed frequently.”

Assigned to oversee all aspects of IT/informatics including clinical, research, administrative and technology portfolios, Perry also had the opportunity to serve as interim CIO for a year and a half before joining St. Jude’s less than a year ago.

Citing a multitude of factors that guided his career, Perry explains his professional journey was shaped by education, life, family and other influential decisions, such as opting to follow a combined healthcare and IT path. Long intrigued by the process of breaking down and solving complex problems, he focused his educational pursuits on the growing field of computer science. Moving to Nashville as a newlywed introduced him to the world of healthcare IT and ultimately afforded him years of experience in this field.

“The influence of my former mentors further provided me the opportunity to work across various IT domains, including clinical applications, research applications, business applications, analytics, innovation and pure technology. This further jump-started my career and led to my current position,” he mentions.

Today, as CIO, Perry is responsible for working across organizational boundaries to ensure current technology aligns with the hospital’s mission and vision, including making sure existing tech functions efficiently and effectively. He also works with institutional leadership to confirm hospital tech supports the demands of tomorrow.

“Because healthcare IT borders on the intersection of science, medicine and technology - all rapidly changing industries - it’s truly an exciting career,” he says.

“As our understanding of disease, diagnosis, treatment and response continue to evolve, researchers, scientists and physicians increasingly leverage technology to drive new discoveries,” he maintains Perry.

Even outside the medical field per se, non-clinical advancements generate new ways for hospitals to become more efficient and, according to Perry, “St. Jude is right up there when it comes to pushing the boundaries of technology to impact children’s health across the globe, as well as satisfying personal achievements.”

Acknowledging the concept of healthcare IT can initially be daunting, Perry finds those who resist being intimidated by a clinical and research focus come to understand and welcome the diversity that exists in the field.

“Healthcare IT isn’t about the past. It’s about shaping the future,” says Perry, who advises volunteering in the healthcare industry to learn more about it. “While technical competencies are essential for certain positions within healthcare IT, the vast majority simply need strong emotional intelligence.”

He continues: “At St. Jude the IT team assumes positive intent, celebrates diversity and aligns itself with the needs of the hospital to constantly improve our technology for patient care and the discovery of knowledge that impacts future medical needs.”

Reminded daily of the hospital’s mission, Perry sees the hope of families as they put their children’s lives in the hands of St. Jude’s superior staff. With a constant need for new talent to join its mission, the information services department recently started an internship program to expose college students to the role technology plays at this unique medical facility.

“STEM is an extremely important component of the healthcare industry,” states Perry, who actively seeks new ways to informally and formally mentor members of his staff.

Find St. Jude’s job opportunities and learn more about the new internship program at stjude.org/jobs.html. Connect on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+.

 

Lysaght Improves the Hospital Experience at UMass Memorial

In her capacity as applications analyst for Epic Beacon Oncology Team at UMass Memorial Health Care in Worcester, MA, Laura Lysaght’s job allows her to achieve a dual purpose. She not only helps design the hospital’s new electronic health record (EHR) system - streamlining and perfecting the oncology department’s electronic health records - but also, in doing so, her efforts ultimately improve the hospital experience for patients and employees.

As a long-term caregiver for her mother - diagnosed with cancer in 1995 - Lysaght has also seen her mom reap the benefits of this system. 

With a bachelor‘s degree in natural science and four years of prior administration experience in risk management, patient relations and medical staff office - in addition to a year and a half implementing computerized physician order entry (CPOE) - Lysaght joined UMass Memorial three years ago.

“I initially supported Soarian Clinicals software before receiving Epic certification and preparing for its installation at the hospital,” she states.

Entering the job market after graduating in 2011 was, according to the analyst, a tumultuous time. However, due to the passing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - which awarded $24.8 billion to hospitals that switched from paper documents to EHR - Lysaght, and others who were able to understand, install and support this technology, found this area of IT as rewarding as it was essential.

Today she classifies her career sector as a vast world of untapped potential with job security for years to come. “I personally encouraged - and convinced - family and friends to work in this arena,” she says. “While the immersion of wearable technology, such as smart watches, increases the connectivity individuals have with their healthcare providers, the need for individuals proficient in the use of this technology increases, too.”

In mid-2015, UMass Memorial’s board of directors approved Epic as the vendor for its new electronic health record system. “When all information services (IS) employees were given the opportunity to join an Epic project and select an application, I naturally chose the oncology path, having been by my mother’s side every step of the way for the past 21 years of her battle,” Lysaght explains.

Now, in addition to designing the EHR system’s application functionality for all UMass Memorial Health Center’s oncology users, she, as application reporting lead, is responsible for building and customizing reports needed to improve workflow and to create chemotherapy protocols for caregiver use with patients. 

For those in her field, Lysaght affirms the need to be a self-starter with the ability to analyze problems. “You must be prepared to deal with big problems that have different answers, and be able to handle the fact the resolution of these problems directly impacts patient care,” she states.

She further contends complex EHR systems cannot operate seamlessly unless the analysts who build and support them engage in seamless communication. “Information services analysts are part of a care team and need to understand, and be aware of, all moving parts to keep the system operating optimally,” she says, further stressing the importance of being able to interact well with medical staff.

“I try my hardest to put myself in their positions, visualize their needs and expectations, and infuse that information in the EHR functionally,” she remarks.

As a member of Ladies Love Tech, an online community of women, Lysaght finds promoting her area of work among women is key. “It’s time for gender stigma to go. Women can be extraordinarily skilled in technology, and shouldn’t be perceived as a rarity,” she states, maintaining one of the best parts of her job is the unyielding support she receives from leadership.

Currently enrolled in a master’s certificate program via Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Lysaght receives credits toward an MBA. Another chance offered to her within the IS department was the process improvement initiative. Now a certified LEAN Green Belt, she participates in process improvement initiatives across the department. When a nurse recently dubbed her a “magician” for correcting a problem, Lysaght was reminded that she not only works in the field of technology - she is a caregiver, too.

Discover career paths with UMass Memorial Health Care at umassmemorialhealthcare.org/careers. Connect on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and Google+.

 

Nguyen Oversees Spectrum Health’s Digital Products

With an employee workforce of 24,000, Spectrum Health relies on Tran Nguyen to guide it through the ever-changing world of digital computing. Nguyen, who’s a lead specialist for digital communications, has been with Grand Rapids, MI-headquartered Spectrum Health for six years. “My current capacity involves managing the company’s external website, coordinating efforts for new site builds, refining technical processes and managing analytics,” explains Nguyen, whose educational background concentrated on marketing and advertising.

“Working on several digital projects at various agencies after college helped prepare me for my current role overseeing the health system’s external websites and developing the processes needed to successfully roll out digital products.”

Long interested in honing the skills she needed for managing complex projects, Nguyen consistently found herself intrigued by the IT arena because of its constantly evolving nature. “I love the challenge of learning and understanding the new technology,” says Nguyen, who chose to work in IT healthcare because of the huge opportunity it presented to help patients and the community via digital innovation.

“Spectrum is very much invested in this endeavor, and I’m excited to be part of it,” she remarks, noting Spectrum is a non-profit health system offering a full continuum of care via its 12-hospital group. Additionally named one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems - and among the top five largest - by Truven Health Analytics for 2016, Spectrum is honored to have received this recognition for the fifth straight year.

Currently assisting with a complete overhaul of the company’s website, with the goal of making it more patient-focused and mobile-friendly, Nguyen stresses the organization isn’t simply maintaining a Web presence, but is instead strategically building a site that’s sustainable and meets the needs of the user.

“With the ever-advancing nature of technology, there’s much growth in this sector, resulting in the need for Spectrum to constantly seek new ways to improve the lives of patients and assist healthcare providers,” she states. “Because of that the company is always alert for top talent.”

Now with Spectrum for several years, Nguyen is happy there: “Each day I get to work with a team of people who are eager to learn and be challenged. I appreciate working with smart and creative individuals dedicated to making sure those who come to Spectrum Health for their medical needs have the benefit of a great patient experience, which includes top-notch digital communication.”

Go to careers.spectrumhealth.org/app/SHMobileTalentAcquisition to find jobs at Spectrum Health. Connect on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.