Clinical Information Technology Team FAQ

Clinical Information Technology Team

The Clinical Information Technology Team plays a crucial role in improving patient care, optimizing clinical workflows, and enhancing data-driven decision-making through the effective use of technology, primarily electronic health records (EHR) and other clinical systems. This multidisciplinary team works closely with healthcare providers, IT specialists, and administrative staff to bridge the gap between clinical practice and healthcare IT systems.

Here’s an overview of the key functions and roles within a clinical informatics team:

1. Department Mission and Goals

• Mission: To enhance the quality of patient care and operational efficiency by optimizing the use of clinical data, healthcare technologies, and information systems.

• Goals:

  • Improve patient outcomes by supporting evidence-based practice.

  • Ensure the seamless integration of clinical workflows with healthcare technology systems.

  • Promote interoperability and secure exchange of clinical data.

  • Enhance clinical decision-making through data analytics and predictive tools.

  • Facilitate compliance with regulatory standards (e.g., HIPAA, Meaningful Use).

  • Support healthcare providers with ongoing training and troubleshooting in clinical informatics tools.

2. Department Functions

• EHR Optimization & Maintenance:

  • Configure and maintain EHR systems to align with clinical workflows.

  • Implement EHR upgrades, patches, and customizations to meet specific healthcare needs.

• Clinical Workflow Design:

  • Collaborate with clinicians to design and optimize clinical workflows that are efficient and data-driven.

  • Integrate decision support tools into clinical workflows to enhance real-time decision-making.

• Data Management & Analytics:

  • Implement and manage clinical data systems, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and availability of patient data.

  • Analyze clinical data to provide insights for population health management, quality improvement initiatives, and cost control.

• Interoperability and Health Information Exchange:

  • Ensure seamless data exchange between systems, organizations, and healthcare providers.

  • Promote the use of standardized healthcare data formats like HL7, FHIR, and CDA.

• End-User Training & Support:

  • Develop training programs for healthcare professionals on EHR and other clinical systems.

  • Provide real-time support and troubleshooting for system issues encountered by clinical staff.

• Compliance & Reporting:

  • Ensure the clinical information systems comply with relevant laws, including HIPAA and CMS regulations.

  • Develop reports for clinical quality metrics, regulatory compliance, and accreditation purposes.

3. Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Clinical Analyst (Amanda Siegel and Melissa Keiper)

  • Role: A healthcare professional (often with a clinical background) who focuses on optimizing EHR systems, clinical workflows, and data management.

  • Responsibilities:

    • Configure and customize EHR systems based on clinician feedback.

    • Train clinical staff on EHR usage and provide troubleshooting support.

    • Evaluate clinical workflows and recommend technology solutions.

    • Implement data analytics and population health tools for clinical decision-making.

• Nurse Informatics Specialist (Eric Rosso)

  • Role: A registered nurse with expertise in clinical informatics who focuses on integrating nursing practice with healthcare technologies.

  • Responsibilities:

    • Support clinical staff with the adoption and effective use of informatics tools.

    • Analyze workflows to ensure EHR systems are clinician-friendly.

    • Promote patient safety and clinical efficiency through technology optimization.

• Data Analyst (Sarah Rizzo)

  • Role: A specialist in analyzing and interpreting clinical data to support decision-making, quality improvement, and operational efficiency.

  • Responsibilities:

    • Extract, clean, and analyze clinical data from EHRs and other sources.

    • Develop dashboards and reports for clinicians and administrators.

    • Identify trends in patient outcomes, population health, and resource utilization.

    • Facilitate data transfer for external vendors in support of organizational programs (340B, Value-Based Care, etc.)

• Healthcare Business Analyst (Yari Olivo-Camacho, Eduardo Zavala-Tenorio)

  • Role: focuses on ensuring that clinical, billing, registration and other systems and data management practices align with the strategic goals of the organization.

  • Responsibilities:

    • Evaluate current clinical and administrative workflows to identify inefficiencies.

    • Recommend process improvements to align technology with clinical operations.

    • Ensure that healthcare technology meets both clinical and business needs.

    • Assist in the rollout of new systems, ensuring they meet business and workflow needs.

    • Facilitate system testing and ensure smooth integration into clinical practices.

    • Serve as a liaison between clinical teams, informatics staff, and IT, translating business needs into technical specifications and vice versa.

• Health Information Management (Kia Cale, Manager)

  • Role: The Healthcare Information Management (HIM) Team plays a pivotal role in managing and safeguarding patient data, ensuring compliance, and supporting clinical operations.

  • Responsibilities:

    • Ensure that patient health records (including clinical documentation, lab results, and imaging) are accurately recorded and updated in the EHR system, maintaining consistency and completeness.

    • Ensure adherence to federal and state regulations such as HIPAA and HITECH, ensuring proper data security and privacy practices.

    • Facilitate controlled and compliant release of medical records for external requests (e.g., patient requests, legal requirements) while ensuring appropriate access levels for internal staff based on role-based security.

    • Get more information on the HIM team: https://kb.westsidehealth.org/docs/health-information-management-faq.