EHR Operational Consultant

This position has a starting pay of $89,048.08 annually but may go up based on experience.

POSITION SUMMARY

The EHR Operational Consultant plays a pivotal role through the process of implementation, adoption, and on-going utilization/optimization of the Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Electronic Dental Record (EDR) across member Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) within the MPCA network. This position is responsible for training and retraining staff on usage, troubleshooting technical issues, optimizing workflows, building and modifying templates, and coordinating with vendors to address issues and manage enhancement requests.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

EHR/EDR Training and Support

Develops and executes training programs and EHR/EDR support materials for health center staff on EHR/EDR systems and associated tools, ensuring materials are adaptable to various learning environments and roles as well as emphasizing how varying roles' EHR/EDR utilization can positively impact patient access, quality, and cost/utilization measurement, care integration, and value-based care delivery success.

Solicits feedback from staff to ensure learning objectives are met and knowledge transfer has occurred.

Identifies training issues associated with software changes and system upgrades, adjusting training programs and materials as needed to stay up-to-date.

Assures that How-To documents are available to users, developing additional training documents as needed.

Supports strategic projects and achievement of HCCN grant goals and work plans related to EHR functionality, optimization, and value-based care objectives.

Provides ongoing technical assistance to troubleshoot and resolve EHR/EDR-related issues, escalating issues as needed to the vendor and tracking them for resolution.

Collaborates with member health centers to optimize EHR/EDR workflows, enhance system usability, and improve care coordination, patient outcomes, satisfaction (patient, staff, and provider), and data-driven performance metrics.

Works collaboratively with teams dedicated to information systems design, build, testing, and support when implementing new systems and upgrading existing systems, acting as a supporter of and change agent for staff to ensure maximum benefit of the EHR/EDR and compliance with State and Federal regulations.

Creates, tests, and implements template changes, upgrades, and programming improvements to fit the needs of the users without jeopardizing security or function.

Addresses day-to-day user questions or concerns in-person, and/or via phone, email, and video conference.

Responsible for the setup and maintenance of usernames and profiles within the collaborative EHR/EDR, related network systems, and applications, managing groups and their access to functions and security within the application(s).

Develops and delivers training programs related to Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) best practices and optimization within the EHR/EDR, ensuring that health center staff understand the critical connection between EHR/EDR workflows and financial operations (e.g., billing, coding, charge capture, claims submission, denial management).

Supports member health centers in improving RCM-related workflows within EHR/EDR systems, ensuring smooth integration with clinical documentation for accurate claim submission and payment.

Vendor Management and System Improvement

Acts as a liaison between MPCA, its members, and EHR/EDR vendors to communicate member needs, resolve issues, and implement system enhancements.

Coordinates with vendors to ensure timely support and updates to meet health center needs and requirements.

Operational Consulting and Change Management

Facilitates organizational change within member health centers to support and maximize EHR/EDR adoption and workflow improvements which improve quality of care, enhance patient satisfaction, and reduce healthcare costs.

Advises on best practices for leveraging EHR/EDR capabilities to enhance operational efficiency and improve patient care quality.

Partners with member RCM and billing teams to ensure EHR/EDR system configurations support effective financial management and regulatory compliance.

Program Leadership and Collaboration

Works closely with the MPCA CIO, CMO, and Director of HIT on various initiatives with follow-through on projects assigned, including managing vendor relations, consultant or support oversight, and materials procurement, with minimal supervision, to meet deadlines and budget.

Partners on initiatives to pilot new EHR/EDR functionalities and quality improvement projects within health centers in support of value-based care initiatives.

Collaborates with state and federal entities to align EHR/EDR initiatives with broader health information technology.

Collaborates with member RCM teams to identify and address challenges related to EHR/EDR workflows that impact revenue cycle performance, helping to reduce claim denials and ensure proper reimbursement.

Training Events and Knowledge Sharing

Attends training/webinars/seminars applicable to the work in this role, specifically those related to the collaborative EHR/EDR and supporting applications.

Organizes and hosts training events, workshops, and webinars to educate health center staff on EHR/EDR usage, optimization, and best practices.

Facilitates the sharing of lessons learned and best practices among member health centers, including RCM integration with EHR/EDR systems, fostering continuous improvement in billing and reimbursement processes.

Performance Management and Reporting

Sets performance goals for EHR/EDR initiatives, monitors progress, and ensures alignment with organizational objectives.

Prepares regular reports and presentations on EHR/EDR utilization, issues, and improvements for health center and PCA leadership.

Other duties as assigned

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

• Healthcare Information Systems technology, particularly EHR/EDR systems, and integration with other healthcare tools.
• Maintains subject matter expertise (aka "superuser" status) for the collaborative EHR/EDR and other systems in use across the PCA membership as identified and assigned.
• Best practices in implementing and optimizing EHR/EDR systems in ambulatory care settings.
• Direct experience with implementing quality improvement initiatives leveraging health IT systems in a healthcare setting.
• Proficiency with use of MS Teams, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Excel, Word, and Project Management tools.

Skill/Ability to:

• Demonstrate strong leadership and motivational skills in a collaborative, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including leadership at health centers, the PCA, and external partners.
• Promptly analyze problems, develop solutions, and make informed decisions.
• Align team efforts with organizational goals and adapt strategies to external impacts.
• Demonstrate the ability to self-motivate and take initiative to further organizational goals.

Education/Experience:

• Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) knowledge and experience preferred, demonstrating an understanding of the nuances of providing healthcare services to underserved populations.
• 3-5 years of experience in primary care settings required.
• Recent experience implementing and supporting EHR/EDR systems in ambulatory clinic settings preferred.
• Experience in facilitating organizational change preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Healthcare Administration, Nursing, or a related field preferred.
• Certification(s) in Electronic Health Records preferred.

Other Requirements:

• Ability to travel frequently to member health centers within Michigan.