Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide leadership, consultative expertise, research and analysis for the development of advanced methodologies to support Ministry business needs for high quality information, and methodological support that enables health system evidence-based decision making.

Duties / Responsibilities :

1. Provides leadership, expertise, and strategic consultative advice throughout the ministry for the research, introduction and development of new, complex and sophisticated analytic methodologies and the development of ministry information management analytic standards used to measure, track and report on a range of information impacting health system performance and its alignment with Ontario's health system strategy.

2. Provides expertise in the definition and establishment of performance indicators, targets, and benchmarks for use by senior management in monitoring performance, setting objectives, establishing accountability metrics, and making resource allocation decisions.

3. Provides specialized expertise and consultative advice to Division and Ministry clients including LHINs on optimum methods to meet their health analytic needs for health data products, reporting and analysis in support of critical ministry and LHIN evidence-based decision-making capabilities and the evaluation of health system operations. Acts as a technical advisor on health analytic and product development projects to advise on the methodologies necessary to meet client needs for a variety of end products (e.g., summary files, tables, contextual reports and other data related products).

4. Identifies and establishes best practices, standard methods, analytic procedures and policies, to ensure consistent application of the most appropriate methods among internal and external clients.

5. Leads the development of complex relational methods for data representation used in forecasting and modeling. Identifies requirements for both ministry and LHIN decision makers through consultation and research, and identifies parameters, assumptions, criteria, and technical specifications to meet requirements.

6. Works with the research community to identify analytical methods that can be applied to leverage value from available data and promote health services research activities that are relevant to the needs of the Ministry and LHINs.

7. Maintains awareness of new and emerging ministry strategies and initiatives (e.g., Aging at Home) to assess their impact on IM Methodologies, and identifies new or changed methodologies to address emerging requirements.

8. Establishes and maintains working relationships with clients and relevant external organizations (e.g. Health Canada, Statistics Canada, ICES) and participates in an advisory capacity on committees or working groups. Prepares and contributes to reports, papers, and communications materials that further knowledge and understanding of HISM mandate and related health information issues.

Develops and delivers health analytics education and training strategies to increase awareness and effective use of methods, decision support analytics and standards to manage health system performance, trend analysis and projections for health system planning and management. Provides education and support for the branch, division, Ministry and LHINs on appropriate methodologies, the use and interpretation of indicators, performance measures, analytic methods, complex models and projections.

Knowledge :

Position requires knowledge of the theories, concepts, methods, and measures in one or more of the following specialized areas: health economics; statistics, biostatistics, mathematical modeling and understanding of analytic methods, performance indicators, research and statistical techniques, and methods generally used in health analytics to provide leadership, consultative expertise, research and analysis for the development of new, complex and sophisticated analytic methodologies and standards for measuring, tracking and reporting health system data. Knowledge of the health system, Ontario's health system strategy, government/ministry directions and priorities, Division mandate, and ministry stewardship principles to ensure methods support critical ministry evidence-based decision making capabilities and the evaluation of health system operations. Knowledge of availability, uses, strengths and weaknesses of administrative and population health databases and statistical software to advise on methodologies which support complex integrated data retrievals and meet health information and knowledge requirements. Understanding of current and emerging trends in health analytics, health planning and policy to ensure the diverse analytic methodology needs of clients are met in support of critical health system planning, policy and strategy decisions within Ontario. Knowledge of legislative authorities, regulations, corporate standards, policies and guidelines in the areas of IT, privacy, and information access and distribution to provide expertise and advice and ensure compliance. Knowledge of emerging and research and leading analytical methods of relevance to ministry and LHIN requirements. Knowledge of training techniques to develop and deliver education and training strategies.
Consultative skills to provide expertise and advice to clients on health system analytic methodologies, performance indicators and benchmarks. Computer proficiency to access resources, conduct research, conduct analyses and prepare materials. Communication skills to promote clear, open communication and to prepare and present complex methodologies and standards for both professional and non-professional audiences. Commitment to organizational learning to create systemic processes for constantly improving knowledge and to work to get new approaches/knowledge accepted for personal benefit and to support the learning needs of colleagues and clients. Innovation and creativity to take action on innovative ideas including seeking out new ideas and adapting methodology and ideas quickly. Relationship management and partnership building to effectively maintain partnership relationships. Results orientation to achieve challenging objectives. Systems thinking to align system thinking with other organizational approaches and planning systems within the ministry, the health care system and the OPS.

Judgement :

Position works under the general direction of the Manager and within the broad strategic framework of ministry stewardship principles, the Division and Branch mandates and ministry/government directions for Ontario's health system. Position is relied upon by colleague Health Analysts to provide the necessary expertise and leadership to support their efforts in meeting the needs of clients for a variety of end products. Judgement is exercised in assessing the needs of branch for new, complex and sophisticated analytic methodologies and standards used to meet client needs for a variety of end products as well as measure, track and report on a range of information impacting health system performance and its alignment with Ontario's health system strategy. Position exercises judgement in identifying optimum methods which support the evaluation of health system operations; in identifying analytical methods that can be applied to leverage value from available data and in assessing the impact of ministry strategies and initiatives on IM Methodologies. Judgement is required to understand the impacts of changes and enhancements in methodology on health system strategies, interpretation of trends, assessments of performance, population needs, funding, allocation and decision-making.

Accountability - Programs :

Provides leadership, expertise, and strategic consultative advice throughout the ministry for the research, introduction and development of new, complex and sophisticated analytic methodologies and the development of ministry information management analytic standards used to measure, track and report on a range of information impacting health system performance and its alignment with Ontario's health system strategy. Identifies and establishes best practices, standard methods, analytic procedures and policies, to ensure consistent application of the most appropriate methods among internal and external clients. Provides education and support for the branch, division, Ministry and LHINs on the use and interpretation of indicators, performance measures, analytic methods, complex models and projections.

Accountability - Impact of Errors :

Ineffective provision of expertise, leadership and advice on analytic methodologies would have a direct and critical impact on the quality of health analytic products developed by the branch, critical ministry and LHIN evidence-based decision making capabilities and the evaluation of health system operations. This further impacts on Ontario's health system, resulting in criticism by stakeholders and media, embarrassment, loss of credibility for the Division and ministry, as well as compromises government decision-making in critical areas of the health system, which may affect the scope and availability of health care provided to Ontarians.

Contact - Internal :

Frequent contact with branch/division colleagues and clients to provide leadership, consultative expertise, research and analysis for the development of advanced methodologies to support Ministry business needs for high quality information, and methodological support that enables health system evidence-based decision making.

Contact - External :

Frequent contact with clients in LHINs and other areas to provide specialized expertise and consultative advice on optimum methods to meet their health analytic needs. Regular contact with clients and relevant external organizations (e.g. Health Canada, Statistics Canada, ICES) to establish and maintain working relationships. Participates in an advisory capacity on committees or working groups. Frequent contact with the research community to identify analytical methods that can be applied to leverage value from available data and promote health services research activities that are relevant to the needs of the Ministry and LHINs.