Medical Informatics Manager, Neno, Malawi

Title: Medical Informatics Manager

Reports to: Director of Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality (MEQ)

Location: Neno, Malawi

Organizational Profile

Partners In Health (PIH) is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Boston, MA, whose mission is to provide quality health care for the poor and marginalized in Haiti, Rwanda, Lesotho, Malawi, Peru, Mexico, Russia, Dominican Republic, and Navajo Nation. In addition, PIH has a growing network of affiliated organizations and initiatives in several other countries, including Nepal, Burundi, Mali, Liberia, and Togo. Through service delivery, training, advocacy and research, PIH works around the globe to bring the benefits of modern medical science to those most in need of it, to serve as an antidote to despair, and inspire others to do the same.

Abwenzi Pa Za Umoyo (APZU) is the Malawi-based sister organization of PIH. APZU is transforming healthcare delivery in Neno District, one of the poorest and most remote districts in Malawi. Through 11 health centers and two hospitals APZU and the Malawi Ministry of Health (MOH) work shoulder-to-shoulder to provide free health care to a population of more than 140,000.

This is an exciting time for PIH. We are taking on immense challenges, and a newfound visibility has brought the opportunity to influence great change on the global stage. PIH seeks individuals committed to the mission and values (see PIH Values) of the organization to join the team.

Position Summary

Based in Neno, Malawi, the Medical Informatics (MI) Manager oversees all aspects of the Electronic Medical Records system (EMR) at APZU, including data entry, management, use, visualization and dissemination. He/she serves as a critical link between the EMR and MEQ teams by ensuring that EMR data is exported in usable form for further analysis. Responsibilities of the Manager include managing a team of 7 EMR staff, planning all aspects of data entry and management in the EMR, coordinating data quality improvement projects, producing datasets and reports for APZU, MOH, and our partners, participating in data entry, and communicating suggestions for technical changes and improvements to the EMR to Boston PIH office. In doing so, the Medical Informatics Manager helps to make data available to support informed clinical and programmatic decisions and therefore increases the quality of health care services.

Responsibilities

Management. Lead and supervise the Medical Informatics team (currently 7 people).

• Oversee scheduling and logistics of EMR data collection at all relevant ART and other clinics, including oversight of data clerk work planning
• Supervise and coordinate work assignments of all EMR staff
• Participate in identifying and filling MI staffing needs
• Advise the MEQ Director and update the Boston-based MI Team on all aspects of EMR activities
• Work with MEQ director to ensure that best practices are followed to maintain data security, confidentiality, and appropriate use
• Participate in APZU management activities, to the same extent as other APZU managers
• Lead the development of MI work plans/budgets and participate in the development of MEQ work plans and budgets
• Coordinate visits from Boston-based MI team
• Represent PIH/APZU at relevant meetings and conferences at the local, district, and national level

Assist in expanding the use of EMR data within APZU. Acting as a liaison between EMR and MEQ teams. Responsibilities shall include:

• Working with EMR and MEQ teams to identify uses for data to directly improve clinical care at Ministry Of Health facilities supported by Partners In Health.
• Working with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Quality team to generate data sets and reports to support research and routine reporting activities.
• Working with program teams to deliver reports/data that are used for QI projects or otherwise to improve program performance
• Responding to requests for data from within APZU, PIH, MOH, and our partners.
• Working with the Boston-based Medical Informatics team to modify or design new forms, reports and other functionality in the EMR and other databases as required for emerging clinical priorities.

Maintaining a high level of data quality in the EMR. Responsibilities shall include:

• Identifying persistent data quality issues such as transcription errors, missing data, lack of timeliness and/or incorrect scope in data collection.
• Developing strategies for reducing data quality issues such as adjustments to data collection processes and improved training procedures.
• Creating tools in Java and/or MySQL to perform large scale data cleaning operations
• Working with the EMR team to design improved functionality for reporting on data quality issues.
• Provide feedback on data quality to Partners In Health program teams.
• Work closely and collaboratively with PIH Boston based Medical Informatics team to identify and share EMR issues and solutions.
• Basic server maintenance, including restarting the server and identifying issues that affect functionality

Training and mentoring the EMR data collection staff. Responsibilities shall include:

• Working with EMR Officer to design tutorials and training modules for new staff.
• Participating in data entry activities.
• Developing and proposing performance benchmarks for data entry.
• Identifying areas where data entry staff can assist in maintaining data quality and improving the use of data to improve clinical care.
• Working with EMR staff, help individual clerks take a more active role in areas where they have an interest.

Other: Undertake such other activities and duties as directed by the Director of MEQ.

Because the APZU MI team supports the delivery of clinical services, the Medical Informatics Manager will be required to work irregular hours, including during public holidays.

Qualifications

• Ability to work collaboratively in a team setting
• At least one year experience managing a small team and/or project working groups
• Good communication skills required
• Bachelor's degree in a related field, such as Computer Science or Statistics (with proven programming skills) required
• Knowledge and experience in the following areas required:
• SQL reporting
• Linux and Microsoft operating systems

Knowledge and experience in the following areas would be an advantage

• Java
• Statistical data analysis
• Health Informatics

Comfortable living in a rural area with ability to take initiative and work with minimal direction Background in issues relevant to public health and international development preferred Willingness to take on additional work outside of the job description as required by PIH

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