Job Specification

Purpose :

To act as primary contact/resource and consult with internal/external clients on the access, collection and storage solutions for health data information/records that are contained in systems/databases.
To oversee development of submission processes for the new data to be transferred into or changed within the database models/structures, ensure these submission processes are successful and respond to enquiries.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Planning Systems, Guidelines and Process Development
- Consults with Ministry Business/Program Leads and LHINs decision makers to discuss and ensure understandingof their requirements with respect to data requirements.
- Leads change/work requests including scope, impact assessments, timing, approval processes, assesses impact on existing data models/structures and identifies issues that would impact on collection, data indicators, storage and access.
- Leads discussion with identified external data providers on data requirements, collection/access, usage and storage, documents all requirements, changes, reports.
- Works with I&IT specialists to accept/transfer new data based on identified data/business requirements, and make recommendations on data storage, manipulation and access for analysis and reports; liaises with system specialists to ensure that required changes are completed within timelines.
- Leads business/user acceptance testing of draft changes implemented in the test environment, responds to problems and develops/implements solutions; ensures the distribution of specifications to data provider, leads and conducts data analysis/quality check to validate health data submissions.
- Plans and oversees the process for the identification, management and tracking of all systems changes and resulting impacts, ensuring consistency across health care sectors and alignment with internal
databases/systems/other reporting documents/tools (e.g., Accountability Agreements, Hospital Annual Planning Submissions etc.).
- Develops service level agreements (SLA) with cluster I&IT and external service providers, to support business requirements, including drafting terms, schedules and deliverables, participating on selection process and monitoring contracts for external service providers.
- Identifies gaps, overlaps and data/system problems that prevent consistent reporting; initiates data/systems developments to address identified problems.
- Participates/collaborates in the planning and delivery of education and new reporting/submission requirements review sessions, contributes subject matter expertise to the development of division/ministry information management (IM) policies and standards.
2. Research and Analysis
- Researches, prepares and/or edits discussion papers, briefing materials, presentations and issues correspondence related to business sector data collection and reporting requirements.
3. Consultative Advice and Support
- Provides advice, expertise, data analysis/results, interpretations to support internal/external data users and stakeholder groups, develops resource capacity with sectors.
- Provides subject matter expertise and ensures that the development of operational level service agreements captures the terms and provisions for the required data collection/access, responds to issues raised with implementation of agreements.
4. Committees and Projects
- Leads and/or participates/collaborates in projects and working groups, represents the ministry on
internal/external sectoral advisory working groups, task forces and committees to provide subject matter expertise and recommendations. Support the implementation of changes to data submissions and reporting requirements. - Establishes and maintains liaison, information flow and linkages with counterparts in Unit, branch, across the ministry divisions and LHINs.
- Contributes to and provides recommendations on data tool development to monitor and evaluate healthcare facilitates performance.
- Provides coordination/project management for various branch/division level initiatives.

Knowledge / Skill :

Knowledge of and skills in:
- Ministry's/division's vision, strategic directions and priorities for hospitals, mental health, long term care, acute and community health care delivery systems and related legislation (e.g., Public Hospitals Act, Ministry of Health Act, Private Hospitals Act), ministry healthcare management practices, health systems operations, issues, standards to consult on acquisition, submission processes/storage solutions for health data. - Health systems operations, issues, standards, directions, reporting standards, hospital performance agreements, accountability frameworks and decision-making structures to lead and advise on system/data compatibility and change requirements, recommend solutions and ensure consistency across reporting business sectors.
- Research theory and methodology, data analysis models and techniques, data interpretation, evaluation and reporting to plan, conduct and provide project leadership regarding data submission/reporting changes, the storage of health data, to research program related issues and analyse and interpret research results.
- System and databases used for ministry financial/information planning and strategic decision-making to oversee the creation of automated or manual processes for the collection of new data, system changes, monitor production data submissions and ensure alignment of required changes.
- Project management techniques to lead, plan, prioritize and manage analytical and reporting projects, balance ademanding workload with competing priorities.
- Oral communication to discuss health systems issues, present recommendations, exchange information, provide training, liaise with committees and participate on advisory committees of professional/medical experts; written communication to prepare reports, program and briefing materials.
- Computer proficiency to prepare reports and correspondence, access databases and research information.

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

- Consultation and negotiation skills to negotiate with external data providers related to data requirements, collection/access, usage and storage.
- Presentation skills to present, explain and guide colleagues and stakeholders on data management and development issues.
- Interpretation and consultation skills to liaise and provide data submissions/specifications/reporting information,assessment and interpretation services to stakeholders.
- Relationship management skills to establish and foster cross-sector relationships with senior level internal and external decision-makers, stakeholders, clients, and other contacts.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

Analytical and problem-solving skills to:
- Identify new data requirements/sources to meet client requirements/needs, assess the data usage, storage to support policy development, accountability and funding issues.
- Identify, manage, monitor and track systems changes and their impacts across reporting business sectors, weighing associated risks and impacts on the unit's ability to achieve its program mandate.
- Conduct research and analyze and interpret research findings on program related issues to determine service needs.

Decision Making / Responsibility :

Responsible for:
- Identifying information needs/data, advising/working with users, work groups and systems consultants on the use/interpretation of data, the implications of results/options and explanations of analytical methods and results.
- Transferring knowledge to management, data providers and data users on data submission/reporting processes.- Leading discussions with external data providers on data requirements, data storage, usage, access and maintenance, and provide input/expertise for the development/implementation of operational SLAs to formalize data collection/access.
- Validating data acquired and ensuring that data is compatible or can be linked to fields in ministry holdings and recommending improvements to ensure the data integrity, models, tools and systems.
- Planning and leading data/system changes projects and change/work requests.
- Providing cost estimates of changes driven by new data transferred into existing databases or development of new models/structures.
- Providing input into the development of operational level service agreements, leading the development/implementation of changes to data structures/models to accommodate data collection.
- Overseeing business/user acceptance testing of changes, providing input to policy/program options based on resource utilization and providing advice, recommendations and analysis, contributing to the development of tools, standards and guidelines.
Has latitude to: identify issues and recommend solutions related to information collection/access/storage from external data providers to ensure data information meet expectations; determine information sources, develop data collection methods, provide input to decision making.
Work is performed under the broad framework of Ministry strategic direction for the assigned business sectors, relevant government/ministry legislation, policies, protocols and standards requirements and national, interprovincial reporting standards.

Contacts / Stakeholder :

- Branch/Ministry colleagues to provide data management and development expertise associated with collecting, using and storing data from sources outside ministry legislative authority/control, discuss problems and develop solutions to issues.
- Business/program leads/management staff to provide consultations and advice regarding data submission methodologies, tools strategies, policies, co-ordination and recommendations of data/system changes.
- Cluster I&IT service providers to participate and provide expertise in the development, maintenance, troubleshooting and changes to databases and associated tools and systems technology.
- Data providers with information holdings (e.g., Health Canada, Statistics Canada, etc.) to discuss data requirements, submission processes, access and data quality issues and coordinate data collection activities in support of health information management system.
- External provincial/national partners and stakeholders and decision makers across all health service providers to discuss health care information and data interpretation issues and provide expertise and user support.
- External service providers to lead/coordinate service provision.

Guidance / Supervision :

Provides leadership, expertise and guidance to section staff, project teams, working groups by assigning and reviewing working, establishing priorities and providing technical direction to resolve problems.

Demands / Pressures :

Work Demands :

- Frequently required to respond to numerous inquiries/requests for information/advice.
- Periodically required to provide reports/briefings or attend committee meetings on short notice.

Mental / Sensory :

- Frequently required to focus on reading and understanding legislation in relation to divisional legislative/regulatory initiatives.
- Frequently required to concentrate when analyzing/evaluating health care delivery systems, developing alternatives, and planning/developing planning system processes.

Conditions / Environment :

Work is performed in a typical office environment.