Applications Analyst IV
Silver Spring, MD

Job Description

Job Summary This supervisory position will serve as a subject matter expert for Cerner PharmNet and related Pharmacy applications including Pyxis Medstations and Alaris pump formularies. The position will have responsibility for providing oversight for the design, build, maintenance, support, expansion, and optimization for pharmacy in the ambulatory and inpatient venues. Additional responsibilities include: requirements gathering, analysis, and documentation; system testing, troubleshooting, and upgrades; coaching customers and IS colleagues on system design, direction, and strategy. This position will have direct reports. Previous experience building and supporting a Clinical EMR highly desirable, specifically with a Pharmacy focus. Experience with managing a team, project management and/or project coordination preferred. Clinical background and/or experience working with pharmacists, nurses, and physicians a plus. Must be willing to carry a pager/cell phone and be available for 24 x 7 on-call support to include weekdays, evenings, weekends, and holidays. Frequency of rotation will vary depending on need/size of department. Location may be in either White Marsh or Silver Spring. EDUCATION: Bachelor#s degree in Computer Science, Healthcare Informatics, or an equivalent combination of education and technical experience. EXPERIENCE: 8 years technical experience in a healthcare or business environment preferred. Experience in systems analysis/programming, customer service, vendor information, information systems, and project management. Experience that includes exposure to networking and hardware preferred. LICENSE/CERT/REG: Clinical analysts perform all continuing education and other activities to maintain professional licensure. SKILLS: Strong analytical ability to solve complex technical problems. Competent in microcomputing including desktop applications, project management, and communication and emulation applications. Strong interpersonal communication skills to effectively interface with internal/external customers. Understanding of information systems and their impact to customers. Primary Duties and Responsibilities Allocates and manages work assignments to application support staff members. As appropriate for enterprise application(s), performs duties required to back up and/or monitor application assets to ensure continuity in service. Responsible for ongoing improvement/enhancement of application asset monitoring. As appropriate for enterprise applications, monitors and tests the ongoing production performance to assure appropriate operations in terms of response time and storage capacity. Monitors new release features and their relevance to MedStar and determines if or when to upgrade. Makes recommendations to clients for operational improvements. Proactively identifies the need to upgrade the supporting infrastructure. Contributes to the achievement of established department goals and objectives and adheres to department policies, procedures, quality standards, and safety standards. Complies with governmental and accreditation regulations. Coordinates and manages vendor resources in the implementation of new software, and/or application upgrades and enhancements. Ensures contracts are administered according to expectations. Coordinates and mentors associates in the design and development of user and application support documentation to facilitate optimal use of applications. Ensures that appropriate updates to support documentation are in designated documentation repositories. Coaches/mentors associates in documentation standards and guidelines. Designs, coordinates and conducts the testing of software updates/fixes and routine maintenance. Validates that systems operate and perform properly through the implementation of controlled unit, system, integration, and volume testing. Recommends alignment of resources and plans to meet application/user needs. Designs, manages and/or leads the implementation of improvements, enhancements, and updates to applications. Responsible for executing project tasks including development of project work plans, resource plans, schedules, costs, administrative reports, and acceptance criteria. Manages/leads the requirements analysis, functional specification definition and design processes, and implementation and testing of enhancements. Evaluates and provides technical direction to Information Systems associates and user departments. Develops reports and mentors/ leads associates in the development of ad hoc and standard reports using system report writer or other tools to meet customer needs. Assists and guides users in developing ad hoc reports. Evaluates report requests against reporting definitions. Documents current business processes to aid in the process redesign. Revises or develops new business processes which utilize the capabilities provided by new information technology and provides optimal benefit to the organization in terms of increased efficiency, accuracy and effectiveness of the process. Designs and modifies department policies and procedures required to implement re-engineered business processes. Performs other duties as assigned. Plans, develops and executes educator/trainer courses of core system/application functionality to ensure associate/customer needs are met. Evaluates and provides direction to associates. Aligns training resources and plans to meet application/user needs Provides expert support to customers within and beyond the corporate organization in the implementation and operational use of software applications. Actively coordinates/facilitates successful resolution to user issues, problems and requests. Serves as liaison between application and technical IS groups and user community, and keeps abreast of healthcare trends, issues and initiatives in order to provide comprehensive and quality solutions to user community. Provides management and leadership oversight to special projects. Completes and/or manages special projects. Mentors and/or leads associates in mastery of skills for management of application tasks and/or projects using advanced project management principles and tools. Responsible for developing and maintaining project documentation according to PMO standards. Responsible for the integration of applications within and beyond the corporate computing environment. Mentors associates in support processes. Responsible for the management of database(s) and applications. Evaluates database design and development, and software maintenance activities and implements recommendations for performance improvements. Responsible for the periodic review of software with customers and vendors to evaluate software utilization, and effectiveness. Serves as a subject matter expert in current technology, trends and developments in the healthcare industry. Serves as a resource and mentor for the IS department and customers. Serves as an expert in problem analysis in support of decisions and planning within the enterprise application service area. Analyzes the impact of application modules on departments. Develops solutions to meet project objectives. Coordinates vendors, Information Services associates, and users in troubleshooting problems and resolving software or procedural issues. Expert and mentor in problem analysis. Skilled in delivering verbal and written presentations in diverse group settings. Demonstrates ability to align presentation tools with audience to ensure and enhance effective communication. Actively participates in and/or leads meetings, committees, task forces, and/or multi-disciplinary quality and service improvement teams as a subject matter expert. Supervises the day-to-day operations of the application support group in geographic area. Assures timely and professional customer service relative to the application. Trains, orients, and assigns department staff. Evaluates performance and conducts performance management planning. Makes recommendations for personnel actions. Maintains ongoing communication with staff to review programs, provide feedback, discuss new developments, and exchange information. Coaches, guides and mentors application support staff members. Provides leadership by example.

* Job Summary
* Leading expert in administrative, financial or clinical applications. Directs design, implementation, and maintenance of these applications. Directs requirements definition, process and use documentation, product testing, product trouble shooting, product upgrades, and report development. Coaches customers and IS management on product use and direction. Manages vendor relationships. Recommends product strategy and mentors staff.




* Minimum Qualifications
* Education/Training
* Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or an equivalent combination of education and technical experience.




*
* Experience
* 8 years technical experience in a healthcare or business environment preferred. Experience in systems analysis/programming, customer service, vendor information, information systems, and project management. Experience managing or supervising staff preferred. Experience that includes exposure to networking and hardware preferred.




*
* License/Certification/Registration
* Clinical analysts perform all continuing education and other activities to maintain professional licensure.




*
* Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
* Strong analytical ability to solve complex technical problems. Competent in microcomputing including desktop applications, project management, and communication and emulation applications. Strong interpersonal communication skills to effectively interface with internal/external customers. Understanding of information systems and their impact to customers.






* Primary Duties and Responsibilities
* Allocates and manages work assignments to application support staff members.


* As appropriate for enterprise application(s), performs duties required to back up and/or monitor application assets to ensure continuity in service. Responsible for ongoing improvement/enhancement of application asset monitoring.


* As appropriate for enterprise applications, monitors and tests the ongoing production performance to assure appropriate operations in terms of response time and storage capacity. Monitors new release features and their relevance to MedStar and determines if or when to upgrade. Makes recommendations to clients for operational improvements. Proactively identifies the need to upgrade the supporting infrastructure.


* Contributes to the achievement of established department goals and objectives and adheres to department policies, procedures, quality standards, and safety standards. Complies with governmental and accreditation regulations.


* Coordinates and manages vendor resources in the implementation of new software, and/or application upgrades and enhancements. Ensures contracts are administered according to expectations.


* Coordinates and mentors associates in the design and development of user and application support documentation to facilitate optimal use of applications. Ensures that appropriate updates to support documentation are in designated documentation repositories. Coaches/mentors associates in documentation standards and guidelines.


* Designs, coordinates and conducts the testing of software updates/fixes and routine maintenance. Validates that systems operate and perform properly through the implementation of controlled unit, system, integration, and volume testing. Recommends alignment of resources and plans to meet application/user needs.


* Designs, manages and/or leads the implementation of improvements, enhancements, and updates to applications. Responsible for executing project tasks including development of project work plans, resource plans, schedules, costs, administrative reports, and acceptance criteria. Manages/leads the requirements analysis, functional specification definition and design processes, and implementation and testing of enhancements. Evaluates and provides technical direction to Information Systems associates and user departments.


* Develops reports and mentors/ leads associates in the development of ad hoc and standard reports using system report writer or other tools to meet customer needs. Assists and guides users in developing ad hoc reports. Evaluates report requests against reporting definitions.


* Documents current business processes to aid in the process redesign. Revises or develops new business processes which utilize the capabilities provided by new information technology and provides optimal benefit to the organization in terms of increased efficiency, accuracy and effectiveness of the process. Designs and modifies department policies and procedures required to implement re-engineered business processes.


* Performs other duties as assigned.


* Plans, develops and executes educator/trainer courses of core system/application functionality to ensure associate/customer needs are met. Evaluates and provides direction to associates. Aligns training resources and plans to meet application/user needs


* Provides expert support to customers within and beyond the corporate organization in the implementation and operational use of software applications. Actively coordinates/facilitates successful resolution to user issues, problems and requests. Serves as liaison between application and technical IS groups and user community, and keeps abreast of healthcare trends, issues and initiatives in order to provide comprehensive and quality solutions to user community.


* Provides management and leadership oversight to special projects. Completes and/or manages special projects. Mentors and/or leads associates in mastery of skills for management of application tasks and/or projects using advanced project management principles and tools. Responsible for developing and maintaining project documentation according to PMO standards.


* Responsible for the integration of applications within and beyond the corporate computing environment. Mentors associates in support processes.


* Responsible for the management of database(s) and applications. Evaluates database design and development, and software maintenance activities and implements recommendations for performance improvements. Responsible for the periodic review of software with customers and vendors to evaluate software utilization, and effectiveness.


* Serves as a subject matter expert in current technology, trends and developments in the healthcare industry. Serves as a resource and mentor for the IS department and customers.


* Serves as an expert in problem analysis in support of decisions and planning within the enterprise application service area. Analyzes the impact of application modules on departments. Develops solutions to meet project objectives. Coordinates vendors, Information Services associates, and users in troubleshooting problems and resolving software or procedural issues. Expert and mentor in problem analysis.


* Skilled in delivering verbal and written presentations in diverse group settings. Demonstrates ability to align presentation tools with audience to ensure and enhance effective communication. Actively participates in and/or leads meetings, committees, task forces, and/or multi-disciplinary quality and service improvement teams as a subject matter expert.


* Supervises the day-to-day operations of the application support group in geographic area. Assures timely and professional customer service relative to the application.


* Trains, orients, and assigns department staff. Evaluates performance and conducts performance management planning. Makes recommendations for personnel actions. Maintains ongoing communication with staff to review programs, provide feedback, discuss new developments, and exchange information. Coaches, guides and mentors application support staff members. Provides leadership by example.