Director-Data Scientist/Quality

Baptist•Memphis, TN

About The Position

The Director Data Scientist - Quality focuses on improving patient care quality through advanced analytics while optimizing revenue through quality-based payment programs. The role identifies quality improvement opportunities by analyzing clinical care delivery and administrative data so Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation can receive appropriate recognition for the high-quality care it provides. The position uses data from process and outcome measures to predict performance in quality rating methodologies, identify improvement opportunities, and translate complex data into actionable insights for leadership and clinical teams. It develops predictive models for quality outcomes and communicates findings through clear, compelling data narratives that support organizational change. Working across quality, coding, CDI, finance, BTS, IT, and data governance, the Director identifies and integrates data sources, creates analytics frameworks, and implements data-driven strategies to improve performance in public quality rating programs and value-based payment models. The role uses large datasets to identify clinical quality optimization opportunities, tests potential interventions, develops performance-monitoring algorithms, and connects technical and clinical domains to help the organization receive full credit for care delivered.

Requirements

At least 5 years of professional experience analyzing healthcare data for quality improvement and revenue optimization, including work with quality metrics, public reporting programs, and value-based payment programs.
At least 7 years of data analysis experience, including descriptive statistics, data exploration, complex datasets, pattern and trend identification, actionable insights, and integration of clinical and financial data sources.
At least 3 years of experience working with multidisciplinary teams such as quality, CDI, coding, finance, and IT, and presenting to or working with healthcare leadership on strategic initiatives.
At least 3 years of experience creating dashboards and visualizations that communicate quality performance metrics.
At least 3 years of data science experience developing predictive models using deterministic and stochastic or probabilistic methods, statistical analysis, and forecasting, and translating healthcare quality methodologies into practical analytical frameworks.
At least 1 year of experience mentoring analysts and collaborating on improvement initiatives.
Bachelor’s degree in data science, analytics, statistics, public health, business analytics, engineering, or a related field demonstrating strong analytical and quantitative skills.
Proficiency with SQL and at least one programming language, such as R or Python, or an analytical platform such as SAS.
Intermediate-level training in healthcare delivery systems, quality measures, and methodologies, including healthcare terminology, clinical documentation requirements, and quality-based reimbursement structures.
Intermediate-level training in statistical analysis, predictive analytics, modeling, and performance evaluation methodologies.
Basic understanding of data-driven process improvement methodologies for evaluating quality improvement initiatives.
Intermediate-level understanding of healthcare quality measures, terminology including DRGs, ICD-10 codes, and HCCs, clinical documentation requirements, and public reporting methodologies.
Demonstrated ability to communicate complex data insights clearly, compellingly, and actionably to diverse audiences.
Demonstrated critical-thinking ability to identify patterns and insights, consider problems from multiple perspectives, and develop analytical solutions.
Demonstrated curiosity, adaptability, tenacity, and resilience when addressing complex analytical challenges.
Basic leadership skills, including organizing work, planning for deadlines across multiple workstreams, collaborating on or leading cross-functional initiatives, and mentoring others.

Nice To Haves

7 years of healthcare quality analytics experience.
8 years of data analysis experience.
5 years of collaborative experience with multidisciplinary teams and healthcare leadership.
5 years of data visualization experience; Power BI experience desired.
Experience with SAS, R, or Python; advanced SQL skills; and experience with Epic systems.
3 years of leadership experience; experience building and supervising analytics teams and leading improvement initiatives preferred.
Master’s degree or PhD/Doctorate in a relevant field.
Epic Clarity and Caboodle Data Model certifications.
Databricks Data Analyst Associate, Data Engineer Professional, or ML Engineer Professional certifications.
Advanced healthcare training.
Advanced training in statistical analysis, predictive analytics, modeling, and performance evaluation.
Formal process-improvement certification, such as Lean or Six Sigma.
Comprehensive healthcare knowledge.
Advanced data-storytelling skills, including a proven track record of executive presentations and strategic recommendations.
Advanced critical-thinking skills with proven examples.
A proven track record of applying curiosity, adaptability, tenacity, and resilience to drive organizational change.
Proven experience building and developing teams.

Responsibilities

Provide analytical leadership for the Quality Documentation Workgroup, identifying performance opportunities, benchmarking against peers and best practices, validating opportunities through chart reviews and statistical analysis, supporting targeted solutions, monitoring performance, and designing sustainable analytics frameworks.
Analyze complex healthcare datasets to identify quality improvement opportunities and revenue optimization strategies.
Translate CMS and other payer methodologies into analytical frameworks for organizational decision-making.
Create early-warning systems that provide actionable insights with sufficient lead time for mitigation.
Design and implement statistical analyses to evaluate quality improvement initiatives.
Research and implement analytical approaches to address quality performance challenges and leverage data for organizational improvement.
Develop predictive models to forecast performance in public quality rating programs, including CMS Stars, Leapfrog, Vizient, and US News, and financial incentive programs, including HVBP, HRRP, and HACRP.
Create and maintain dashboards and visualizations that communicate quality performance metrics to stakeholders.
Present analytical findings clearly and actionably to diverse audiences using storytelling techniques.
Provide leadership with data-driven insights on optimizing performance in quality-based payment programs.
Collaborate with quality, CDI, coding, and finance teams to integrate data sources and develop analytics solutions.
Partner with IT and data governance teams to support data integrity, appropriate access, and use of standard platforms and tools.
Mentor and collaborate with quality analysts to build organizational analytics capabilities; potentially develop and supervise an analyst team as the program demonstrates value and return on investment.
Stay current with changes in healthcare quality measurement methodologies and payment models.
Identify opportunities to automate analytics processes and improve data accessibility.
Build sustainable processes for accurate documentation review and improvement.
Foster collaboration between quality, CDI, coding, and analytics teams.