Description

Title:   Director of Health Information Systems, HUM

Reports to: HUM Chief Medical Officer and ZL Director of MEQ

Location: Mirebalais, Haiti

Duration:  One year, with option to extend

Project Profile:

Partners in Health (PIH), Zamni Lasante(ZL) and the MSPP recently open Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais (HUM). Located in the town of Mirebalais, 30 miles north of Port-au-Prince, the 300-bed national teaching hospital represents the biggest reconstruction project in the health sector launched in Haiti since the January 2010 earthquake. A national referral facility and teaching center, HUM was designed and built in response to a direct request from the Haitian government in accordance with the national plan to decentralize access to care and medical education. When the hospital opens, the medical campus, encompassing eleven buildings, will offer a new standard of care and provide high-quality education for the next generation of Haitian medical students, resident physicians, nurses and other clinical staff.

Position Overview

This position will lead hospital-wide data collection and utilization efforts for Health Information Systems (HIS), using electronic and paper-based information systems to monitor and strengthen clinical services, laboratory, pharmacy, radiology and supply chain management including quality of care. Reporting directly to HUM’s Chief Medical Officer and working with clinical department leads and other stakeholders, s/he will focus on developing and improving data collection systems, managing work efforts to maintain high data quality, establishing and adapting reporting frameworks, as well as facilitating feedback to clinical and programmatic teams for ongoing improvement. Working with the ZL DESAQ, s/he will also mentor local staff in use of Monitoring and Evaluation (M and E) and Quality Improvement (QI) methods focused on issues relevant to inpatient and outpatient hospital services. Working with hospital management and the ZL MEQ team, s/he will also develop evaluation frameworks to ensure appropriate data collection and lead analysis efforts. These functions are essential in order to achieve PIH and ZL’s primary goal of providing quality patient care and creating an environment of continuous quality improvement.

The ideal candidate for this position will have a background in M and E as well as epidemiology, and/or research. Experience with project management is also essential. S/he will be flexible, have excellent leadership skills, be able to adapt to a fast-paced work environment and prioritize and manage multiple tasks. S/he should be comfortable living in a resource-poor setting and working with culturally diverse colleagues. S/he should be committed to the movement for social justice and global health.

Specific Responsibilities

The position will focus on building the capacity of HUM staff to engage in rigorous and effective M and E and QI, including but not limited to the following:

1. Provide day-to-day management oversight of the HIS team, including leadership and supervision of core team functions:

• Data analysis and report generation and feedback

• Operations and Systems Management

• Training and User Support

2. Collaborate with the Medical Informatics Technical Specialist and department Directors to support a wide range MEQ activities and work toward a foundation for the future implementation research platform at HUM, including:

• Development and modification of core indicators and routine reporting SOPs

• Creation of tools to strengthen collection, dissemination, feedback and use of data across HUM

• Provide analytic support to inform QI work, hospital management and external HUM development/fundraising initiatives

3. Work with ZL and Boston-based MEQ teams to harmonize MEQ and operational research efforts with PIH’s broader MEQ platform

4. Lead additional MEQ projects at HUM:

• Support the production of weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports on the implementation of HUM programs.

• Support MEQ training activities across all departments.

• Work closely and collaboratively with relevant members of HUM senior management and Boston-based MEQ staff on specific projects.

• Support the preparation of monitoring and evaluation components of grant proposals related to HUM as requested.

• Maintain a thorough understanding of ZL/PIH’s comprehensive approach to address health issues in settings of poverty, and serve as an advocate for its work both within the organization and externally with the public sector and donor community in Haiti and abroad

Qualifications

1. MPH or relevant Master’s Degree required

2. 3-5 years’ relevant experience

3. Demonstrated competence to assess priorities and manage a variety of activities in a time-sensitive environment and meet deadlines with attention to detail

4. Experience in M and E and/or QI

5. Strong communication, organizational, and writing skills

6. Computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite and statistical software (SAS, SPSS, or Stata)

7. Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to interact professionally with culturally diverse staff, clients, and consultants

8. Willingness to live in rural Haiti

9. Experience working in resource limited settings

10. Proficiency in French and/or Creole preferred