Public Health Informaticist

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary:

The Public Health Informaticist’s primary function in the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s (PDPH) Data Modernization Unit is to support data modernization initiatives through stakeholder engagement, workflow assessments, automations, and systems design. The Informaticist is intended to bridge the worlds of IT and Programmatic. They should have a strong background in public health and be knowledgeable about IT functions without necessarily possessing a technically heavy skill set. Their main role is that of a translator ensuring that programmatic staff have their needs met by IT and that technical capabilities and limitations are understood by programmatic stakeholders. A good candidate is a strategic thinker, with an eye towards long term modernization. The role is full-time in office.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist in the creation and maintenance of an agency wide data governance framework
• Assist in the creation and maintenance of an agency wide data catalogue
• Create and maintain documentation on data-related solutions as implemented or used by PDPH, including data diagrams, schemas, and other associated materials
• Work with the Application Specialist(s) to design and modernize new and existing data systems in PDPH
• Assist in the creation, maintenance, and monitoring of PDPH data pipelines
• Create scripts, queries, stored procedures, data APIs, and web services to integrate disparate data sources, create reports, and ensure data integrity
• Assist in the administration of PDPH data visualization tools as needed
• Work with PDPH programmatic stakeholders to implement new data standards
• Track and manage project deliverables in design project management system(s)
• Work with the Data Modernization Director and PDPH stakeholders to develop, maintain, implement, and update the Agency’s modernization plan
• Develop project based KPIs for continual assessment
• Evaluate existing workflows, recommend and implement changes as needed
• Assist programmatic staff in developing automations to streamline workflows
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies in areas vital to the PDPH including visualization tools, new databases and data formats, integration techniques, and common scripting languages
• Proactively identify areas for improvement and make recommendations to the Data Modernization Director on possible technical solutions
• Ensure data security per the appropriate standard, including HIPAA/HITECH, PA Act 59, industry standards, and the ethical standards of both IT and Public Health professions
• Other duties as required

Skills Required:

• Demonstrated proficiency writing complex queries, stored procedures, and views within SQL
• Demonstrated ability to manage, operate, and maintain relational database systems
• Preferred Proficiency in Python as a primary programming language for data processing, automation, and Extract-Transform-Load (ETL) development, with strong command of Python-specific syntax, idioms, and patterns
• Demonstrated Knowledge of HL-7 2.5.1 or later version for public health applications, such as ELRs, eCRs, elCRs, Immunizations, or other applicable areas
• Demonstrated ability to produce human-readable data reports
• General knowledge of clinical coding systems such as LOINC, SNOMED, ICD and CPT
• Preferred ability to create, modify, and maintain REST APIs and integrations, including authentication patterns, request handling, pagination, and error management
• Ability to translate between the technical and the non-technical, including explaining technical issues to less technical personnel, and framing technical solutions in a business context
• Demonstrated ability work with data sets in accordance with relevant regulatory requirements, such as HIPAA.
• Familiarity with systems development life cycles
• Familiarity with process improvement techniques
• Fundamental understanding of data structures
• General knowledge of IT functions
• Comfort with public speaking, including the ability to lead and facilitate meetings with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Ability to manage time and tasks in a complex environment with multiple priorities
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Organizational and operational adaptability
• Excellent customer service skills.

Education and Experience:

• Minimum of 3-5 years in data management, health information systems, or data and systems integration
• Certification or coursework in relevant technologies or topics a plus
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent work experience in a relevant position
• Significant course work in Health informatics, information science, MIS, data analysis, or a related field a plus
• A master’s degree or advanced coursework in a related field a plus
• Any combination of education and the following experience deemed equivalent and sufficient by hiring manager and human resources
• Experience in data management, integration, and reporting, preferably in a healthcare or public health environment; government experience a plus
• Experience using one or more clinical coding systems in a business application
• Experience with Health Information systems, such as EHRs, Immunization Information Systems, Reportable disease databases, cancer registries, vital records, or other public health or health systems.
• Experience designing, building, and maintaining data pipelines and ETL/ELT workflows
• Preferred experience with the Python standard library, data-oriented packages such as pandas and NumPy, ETL and database integration libraries such as SQLAIchemy and pyodbc, and standard ecosystem tooling including pip and venv for dependency and environment management.
• Preferred experience with T-SQL and Microsoft SQL Server specifically, including stored procedures, SQL Agent, and SSMS
• Preferred experience with business analyst techniques and processes
• Preferred experience with project management software such as Jira, Asana, AirTables, Monday.com or similar product
• Preferred familiarity with integration software such as, Rhapsody, Mulesoft, Mirth, or similar product
• Preferred experience with one or more relational database platforms: Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, or MySQL

Equal Opportunity Employment:

PMHCC, Inc. is committed to equal opportunity. It is our policy to support equal employment for all employees and applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual preferences, age, national origin, disability, behavioral health status, military status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Employees as well as applicants who are currently, or become disabled, must be able to perform the functions of the job with either reasonable accommodation or unaided. PMHCC, Inc will examine reasonable accommodation on a case by case basis in accordance with the law.