Director of Clinical Informatics & Applications

Nexus Health Systems Ltd•Houston, TX

15d

About The Position

The Director of Clinical Informatics & Applications is a strategic leadership role responsible for optimizing and managing our current Meditech 5.x platform across the Nexus Healthcare System while supporting the VP of IT in positioning the organization for future EMR initiatives. This position serves as the critical bridge between clinical operations, leveraging nursing expertise to enhance clinical workflows. This also includes collaboration with the CBO for revenue cycle management, financial processes, and driving optimization of existing technologies. The Director will lead a team of analysts, project managers, and vendor partners (i.e., RN, Pharmacy specialists), fostering collaboration with clinical, operational, and revenue cycle stakeholders to drive innovation and continuous improvement across a multi-facility hospital system. This position reports directly to the VP of IT and supports their strategic direction for all technology initiatives, governance activities, and organizational priorities.

Requirements

Active Registered Nurse (RN) license in the State of Texas is required. Must be in good standing with the Texas Board of Nursing and meet all continuing education and renewal requirements as defined by the Board
Bachelor's degree in Nursing required
Minimum 8-10 years of progressive IT experience, with at least 5 years in clinical applications leadership
Must have experience with implementing/deployment of an electronic medical record (EHR) from "ground-up"
Proven experience leading enterprise-wide clinical system implementations in a hospital or health system setting
Proven experience with optimizing EMR platforms (Meditech 5.x strongly preferred, other versions acceptable)
Experience managing cross-functional teams and driving adoption of system enhancements in clinical settings
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with Revenue Cycle Management teams including HIM, coding, billing, and denial management departments
Expertise in system optimization, interface management, and vendor relationship management
Comprehensive experience with healthcare interoperability and system integrations including Laboratory interfaces, Radiology systems, Automated Medication Dispensing, ePrescribing platforms, and Revenue Cycle Management tools
Working knowledge of clearinghouse gateways, clinical documentation improvement systems, financial reporting tools, telemetry integrations, and emerging IoT/wearable device connectivity
Experience with large-scale system implementations or major upgrades preferred for future readiness
Ability to be agile in high stress, fast-paced environment. Projects are high visibility, with concrete deliverable deadlines
Project management certification preferred: PMP, ITIL
Clinical application certifications preferred
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
Skilled leadership and team building capabilities with proven ability to operate autonomously
Strong departmental management experience with demonstrated success leading diverse technical teams
Effective training and education skills with ability to develop and deliver training programs for clinical and technical staff
Ability to translate clinical needs into technical requirements
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
Experience with budget management and resource allocation
Change management experience for system optimization initiatives
Knowledge and/or hands-on experience with AI applications in healthcare records or equivalent AI technology implementations

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Health Informatics, Healthcare Administration, or related field preferred
Nursing Informatics certification (ANCC or equivalent) strongly preferred
Background in quality improvement and clinical outcomes measurement
Deep experience with Meditech 5.x modules (Clinical Documentation, CPOE, Pharmacy, Laboratory, Revenue Cycle, Financial Reporting, etc.)
Experience with healthcare data analytics and reporting tools
Previous nursing informatics or clinical systems leadership role with autonomous department management experience
Experience working with physician groups and medical staff leadership
Experience with implementing AI-driven tools such as ambient clinical documentation, predictive analytics for clinical risk, and natural language processing for automated coding and documentation improvement
Strong background collaborating with Revenue Cycle Management teams including HIM, coding, billing, and denial management to optimize clinical documentation and system workflows
Proven track record building and leading high-performing technical teams in healthcare environments
Experience developing and delivering clinical training programs and educational curricula
Background in adult learning principles and train-the-trainer methodologies
Experience with hospital acquisitions and EMR integration projects for new facilities
Background in multi-site clinical system standardization and expansion initiatives
Knowledge of healthcare interoperability standards (HL7, FHIR, DICOM, IHE)
Experience with healthcare interface engines and integration platforms
Hands-on experience implementing Laboratory interfaces and regional lab connectivity
Background with Radiology system integrations (PACS, RIS connectivity)
Experience with Automated Medication Dispensing system integrations
Experience with ePrescribing implementations and DEA compliance
Knowledge of Revenue Cycle Management system integrations and clearinghouse connectivity
Experience with clinical documentation improvement tools and platforms
Familiarity with telemetry system integrations and real-time data feeds
Emerging experience with IoT clinical devices and wearable technology integration
Experience with EMR vendor evaluation and selection processes

Responsibilities

Lead comprehensive optimization initiatives for existing Meditech 5.X platform across multiple facilities under the direction and strategic guidance of the VP of IT
Direct system configuration enhancements to improve clinical workflows, revenue cycle processes, user experience, and operational efficiency
Oversee ongoing system maintenance, upgrades, and performance optimization to maximize current platform capabilities
Coordinate with Meditech support and vendor partners to implement best practices and system improvements as directed by the VP of IT
Manage complex system integrations and interface optimization between Meditech and ancillary departments including Laboratory, Radiology, Pharmacy, and Revenue Cycle
Oversee interoperability initiatives including ePrescribing systems, clearinghouse gateways, clinical documentation improvement tools, financial reporting systems, and emerging IoT/wearable device integrations
Establish performance monitoring protocols to ensure optimal system reliability and user satisfaction
Support EMR integration planning and implementation for new hospital acquisitions under VP of IT guidance, including system configuration, data migration, interface development, and comprehensive training programs
Serve as primary liaison with physician and nursing leadership to identify optimization opportunities and address workflow inefficiencies, reporting findings and recommendations to the VP of IT
Collaborate closely with Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) teams to ensure clinical and financial documentation supports billing accuracy, coding compliance, revenue capture, and chargemaster optimization
Conduct comprehensive clinical workflow analysis to streamline processes within the current Meditech environment
Support physician and nursing advisory committees to guide system improvements and feature utilization as directed by the VP of IT
Partner with Revenue Cycle Management stakeholders to optimize clinical documentation workflows that impact billing accuracy, denial management, revenue capture, clearinghouse processing, and financial reporting
Design and implement clinical decision support enhancements within existing platform capabilities
Facilitate ongoing clinical staff training and optimization programs leveraging nursing expertise to build peer credibility, utilizing both direct training and train-the-trainer methodologies
Oversee optimization of financial modules within Meditech including chargemaster management, billing interfaces, and revenue reporting systems
Manage clearinghouse gateway operations and electronic claim processing workflows
Coordinate with financial teams to ensure accurate charge capture, proper coding workflows, and denial management processes
Optimize collector dashboard functionality and accounts receivable management tools
Support implementation and maintenance of financial reporting systems and business intelligence tools
Ensure integration between clinical documentation and financial coding requirements
Manage interfaces with third-party financial systems and payment processing platforms
Oversee cost accounting and financial analytics capabilities within the EMR system
Support the development and maintenance of a clinical informatics governance structure across all facilities, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and standards
Champion data governance initiatives as set by the VP of IT to ensure clinical and financial data integrity, accessibility, and compliance
Develop and execute clinical informatics roadmap aligned with organizational strategic priorities and industry best practices, supporting the VP of IT's overall technology strategy
Participate in future EMR strategic planning when organizational direction is determined, providing subject matter expertise (SME) to support the VP of IT decision making
Support EMR integration and training initiatives for new hospital acquisitions and facility expansions ensuring seamless incorporation into existing clinical information systems under the direction of the VP of IT
Stay current with healthcare technology trends and EMR advancement opportunities to inform future strategic decisions led by the VP of IT
Ensure compliance with healthcare standards (HIPAA, HITECH, Joint Commission) and regulatory requirements
Collaborate with quality improvement teams to leverage existing data analytics capabilities for clinical outcomes improvement
Work closely with RCM leadership to ensure clinical system optimizations support revenue cycle objectives, documentation compliance, and billing accuracy
Support evaluation and optimization of ancillary clinical systems that integrate with current Meditech platform
Support enterprise interoperability strategy including management of Laboratory, Radiology, Pharmacy, Automated Medication Dispensing, and Revenue Cycle interfaces while evaluating emerging technologies
Manage and mentor a high-performing team of IT professionals including Clinical Applications Manager and IT Business Analysts
Demonstrate skilled leadership and team building to create cohesive, autonomous department operations under VP of IT oversight
Operate independently with minimal oversight while maintaining clear communication and accountability to VP of IT
Allocate resources effectively across optimization projects and operational support activities
Foster culture of innovation and continuous learning within the clinical informatics team
Develop team expertise in Meditech 5.x optimization, clinical and financial workflow enhancement, and business analysis methodologies
Lead enterprise training strategy and program development for clinical applications, serving as primary trainers or implementing train-the-trainer programs across all facilities
Manage EMR integration and training programs for new hospital acquisitions ensuring rapid onboarding and standardization across expanding healthcare systems
Coordinate with IT Operations, Cloud, and Shared Services teams to ensure integrated technology solutions
Provide regular status reporting to VP of IT and executive leadership on platform performance and improvement initiatives, including routine reports on costs, timelines, milestones, and escalation of issues during implementation