Physician, Chief Health Informatics Officer

Full Job Description

The Chief Health Informatics Officer (CHIO) is a board-eligible/certified physician leader accountable for clinical informatics strategy, governance, and performance across Dayton VAMC and affiliated sites (including CBOCs and Wright-Patterson operations).

The CHIO advances Veteran-centered, equitable, accessible, and safe care by optimizing use of the Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) and other informatic tools/workflows and supporting data-driven decision-making.

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement.

Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine.

The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed.

Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.

Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification.

(NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR (2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences.

Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs).

PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis.

PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision.

Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs. Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Preferred Experience: Clinical Experience: 5+ years of progressive clinical practice post-residency in an accredited specialty. Active board certification and recent clinical engagement.

Health Informatics: Experience in VA, DoD, or multi-hospital networks with demonstrated success in EMR optimization, governance, and change management. Prior CHIO experience desired but not required.

EHR Implementation & Optimization: Hands-on experience with and optimization efforts with Federal EHR systems (Cerner Millennium or VA/DoD platforms). Experience with other EHRs is a plus.

Operational Leadership: 3-5 years of experience managing multidisciplinary teams and resources. Governance and Compliance.

Experience with clinical governance committees and how informatics decisions can affect accreditation. Data Analytics and Performance Improvement.

Experience with clinical analytics, dashboard development, and applying healthcare data to performance improvement.

Education and Training: Certification in informatics or advanced degree in informatics is preferred. Change Management and Stakeholder Engagement: Experience leading change initiatives.

Grounding in fundamental information systems concepts, including the systems development life cycle (SDLC), the evolving capabilities of health IT, and both technical and non-technical issues surrounding system implementation.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: Ability to sit or stand for several hours daily while interacting with patients, employees, and providers via computer and/or phone.

Proficiency with keyboard and mouse use is essential for efficient electronic medical record operation, requiring frequent hand dexterity for data entry and communication.

Requires adequate vision to accurately perform the assigned duties, distinguish basic colors and assess patients and the environment safely.

The position requires the ability to hear at a level to perform the assigned duties, and the use of hearing aids is permitted. Major Duties:

The Chief Health Informatics Officer position is open to both Nurses and Physicians. Nurses interested in applying can find more details at: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/857764500.

Major duties may include are not limited to: Leads cross-functional collaboration with the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), Service Chiefs, Supervisors, Group Practice Management, IT/HTM, Quality, and front-line staff to implement informatics-enabled workflows that measurably improve access, quality, safety, and EHR adoption.

Represents ELT in interdisciplinary forums and ensures actionable, timely information for decisions. Collaborates with counterparts at other sites.

Manages the Clinical Informatics team, including recruitment, performance management, competency assessment, coaching, and grievance resolution.

Builds and supports a team-focused culture and succession pipelines. Oversees budget, staffing, and payroll; advocates for resources tied to measurable outcomes and Return-on-Investment (ROI).

Leads user-centered design, change management, and accessibility-compliant (Section 508) implementations across Dayton VAMC, CBOCs, and Wright-Patterson operations.

Establishes feedback loops and champions EHR adoption, reducing workarounds and improving data quality.

Monitors external changes (legislation, accreditation, standards, technology) and conducts impact assessments. Develops and implements informatics policies, procedures, and charters.

Ensures compliance with VA/agency regulations, Medical Staff bylaws, facility policies, Joint Commission standards, privacy/security, and accessibility.

Leads or co-leads relevant governance committees with clear decision-rights and deliverables.

Designs and maintains standardized dashboards (labor mapping, grid builds, utilization, referral queues, return-to-clinic, RVUs, billing/coding).

Uses analytics to identify barriers and implements informatics solutions. Tracks improvements with an equity and accessibility lens and regularly reports Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ELT.

Develops role-based curricula, super-user networks, and competency assessments for students, residents, and staff.

Provides direct patient care within the physician's specialty to maintain clinical competencies and credibility, ensuring alignment with VHA's mission of delivering high-quality, Veteran-centered care.

Other duties as assigned. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.

Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification) Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm