Application Specialist - Laboratory Information Systems Support – Beaker

Company Description

The University Health Network, where above all else the needs of patients come first , encompasses Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and the Michener Institute of Education.

The breadth of research, the complexity of the cases treated, and the magnitude of its educational enterprise has made UHN a national and international resource for patient care, research and education.

With a long tradition of ground breaking firsts and a purpose of Transforming lives and communities through excellence in care, discovery and learning , the University Health Network (UHN), Canada’s largest research teaching hospital, brings together over 16,000 employees, more than 1,200 physicians, 8,000+ students, and many volunteers.

UHN is a caring, creative place where amazing people are amazing the world.

Job Description

Union : Non-Union

Site : Toronto General Hospital

Department : Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) Support

Reports to : Manager, Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) Support

Work Model : Hybrid

Grade : H0 : 06

Hours : per week

Salary : $69,872 to $87,341 annually wording (To commensurate with experience and consistent with UHN compensation policy)

Status : Permanent Full-Time

Closing Date : July 13, 2024

Position Summary

UHN Digital is one of the largest public sector health-care information management and information technology (IM / IT) service delivery organizations in Canada.

As department of University Health Network (UHN), UHN Digital, is committed to its vision of transforming health-care delivery by improving the patient experience, addressing issues facing coordination of care and enhancing customer service and quality through outstanding project management and operational support.

The Application Specialist (AS) is an essential member of the Digital Software Services (DSS) team at the University Health Network (UHN).

In collaboration with other DSS team members, the AS supports various clinical and business applications identified for UHN.

This role plays a crucial part in bridging the gap between business needs and technology delivery, specifically within the LIS department.

Responsibilities include customer service, incident management, system and business analysis, system upgrades, patching, system testing, participation in projects and process improvement initiatives.

The AS closely collaborates with business stakeholders and subject matter experts to ensure high system performance and reliability.

They gather and analyze information and specifications related to clinical practices, workflows, and business processes, configuring the system accordingly.

Documentation of policies and procedures to facilitate system usage and effective communication with end users and third-party vendors are also key aspects of the role.

Overall, the Application Specialist role requires technical proficiency, strong communication skills, and a focus on providing optimal support to enhance application performance and meet the organization's needs.

Duties

• Maintain expert knowledge of supported applications.
• Provide day-to-day support, including resolution of complex and escalated issues.
• Assist end users, including on-call support, to resolve application-related problems.
• Facilitate the development and maintenance of in-house projects, training programs, manuals, and documentation.
• Perform / coordinate various testing types (user acceptance, application, performance, stress, regression, and integration) for new releases and changes.
• Participate in the design, development, testing, validation, and maintenance of LIS systems and related upstream and downstream systems.
• Maintain servers and databases for supported systems as appropriate.
• Utilize expert knowledge of applications and query language to generate queries and reports for data monitoring by management and clinical staff.
• Assist with system workflow issues and guide the implementation of requested changes.
• Collaborate with Manager, Team Leads, and co-workers to ensure exceptional customer service.
• Resolve process and system issues with all levels of management to ensure efficient operation.
• Communicate with external software vendors to maintain ongoing business and functional requirements.
• Contribute to the development and improvement of policies and procedures.
• Create training materials and other documents to enhance application support.
• Provide end-user training and attend / facilitate established end-user meetings.
• Document system problems and resolutions for future reference.
• Maintain technical and procedural documentation, including diagrams.
• Participate in an on-call roster for support coverage.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate Degree required in Computer Science, Math, Health Informatics or related field or demonstrated mastery of the relevant material.
• Completion of Medical Laboratory Technologist Diploma program or equivalent is preferred.
• Certification in Epic Beaker required.
• Additional certification in other Epic modules welcome : Beacon, ASAP, HIM, MyChart, Resolute Hospital Billing / Claims, Ambulatory EMR, Kaleidoscope, Inpatient EMR-Orders, Bugsy, Inpatient EMR-ClinDoc, Mental Health / Rehab, ESCA-EUD, OpTime.
• Current registration with the College of Medical Laboratory Technologists (CMLTO) preferred.
• 2-3 years industry experience in 2nd level application support required
• 1-2 years experience as a Medical Laboratory Technologist preferred.
• Working knowledge of HL7 standards and interfaces; or some other recognized industry standard an asset
• Knowledge and understanding of relational database management and schemes.
• Experience working with : Databases- Oracle, MS SQLOperating System : Windows 2016 / 2019 / 2022 server
• Advanced skills using software tools such as Visio, Microsoft Project, Excel, Word and SharePoint and other tools as necessary.
• Understanding of key IT concepts and components ( networks, storage devices, OS, information retrieval, data warehousing, applications, firewalls etc.

and their inter-relationships.

• Proven, in-depth analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to systematically analyze incidents / problems, identify root cause, draw logical conclusions and determine / recommend practical courses of action.
• Must have knowledge of tools and techniques for anticipating, recognizing, and resolving technical problems.
• Experience with clinical systems clinical processes, nomenclature etc.
• Experience with one or more clinical / business applications in a large healthcare organization required.
• Experience in a health-care environment and strong understanding of the healthcare system and hospital sector preferred.
• Previous project / systems implementation experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and follow-up skills.
• The ability to probe for information about the underlying needs of the organization and user community, which directly influences how the system will be built.
• The ability to communicate effectively with project leadership and subject matter experts.
• Proficient organizational, time management and critical thinking skills with the ability to effectively problem solve and prioritize in a high-pressure environment.
• The ability and interest to learn and apply new technologies.

Additional Information

Why join UHN?

In addition to working alongside some of the most talented and inspiring healthcare professionals in the world, UHN offers a wide range of benefits, programs and perks.

It is the comprehensiveness of these offerings that makes it a differentiating factor, allowing you to find value where it matters most to you, now and throughout your career at UHN.

• Competitive offer packages
• Government organization and a member of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP )
• Close access to Transit and UHN shuttle service
• A flexible work environment
• Opportunities for development and promotions within a large organization
• Additional perks (multiple corporate discounts including : travel, restaurants, parking, phone plans, auto insurance discounts, on-site gyms, etc.)

Current UHN employees must have successfully completed their probationary period, have a good employee record along with satisfactory attendance in accordance with UHN's attendance management program, to be eligible for consideration.

All applications must be submitted before the posting close date.

UHN uses email to communicate with selected candidates. Please ensure you check your email regularly.

Please be advised that a Criminal Record Check may be required of the successful candidate. Should it be determined that any information provided by a candidate be misleading, inaccurate or incorrect, UHN reserves the right to discontinue with the consideration of their application.

All UHN Employees are required to be fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine series, approved by Health Canada or the World Health Organization, as a condition of hire.

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be required. Should you be the successful candidate, you will be required to comply with UHN’s mandatory Vaccination Policy that is in effect.

UHN is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive recruitment process and workplace. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process.

Applicants need to make their requirements known.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.