Head of IT Clinical Applications

The Aspen Group (TAG) is one of the largest and most trusted retail healthcare business support organizations in the U.S. and has supported over 20,000 healthcare professionals and team members at more than 1,300 health and wellness offices across 48 states in four distinct categories: dental care, urgent care, medical aesthetics, and animal health. Working in partnership with independent practice owners and clinicians, the team is united by a single purpose: to prove that healthcare can be better and smarter for everyone. TAG provides a comprehensive suite of centralized business support services that power the impact of five consumer-facing businesses: Aspen Dental, ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, WellNow Urgent Care, Chapter Aesthetic Studio, and AZPetVet. Each brand has access to a deep community of experts, tools and resources to grow their practices, and an unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality consumer healthcare experiences at scale.

Our continued growth has created an opportunity to join our team as a Head of IT Clinical Applications.

The Head of IT Clinical Applications is responsible for the strategic planning, implementation, and optimization of clinical applications used throughout The Aspen Group’s portfolio of brands. This role involves managing teams responsible for the deployment and support of electronic health records (EHR), clinical information systems (CIS), and other digital tools that support clinical operations. The leader serves as the primary liaison between Clinical staff, Operations, Product and other IT teams to ensure that technology solutions align with organizational goals, improve patient care, and enhance operational efficiency.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and lead the clinical applications strategy in alignment with the organization's overall IT and healthcare delivery goals.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to identify technological solutions that address clinical challenges and enhance care quality.
• Keep abreast of trends, best practices, and regulations in clinical informatics and healthcare technology.
• Oversee the selection, implementation, and optimization of clinical applications, including EHR, PACS, LIS, and other healthcare technologies.
• Lead cross-functional teams in deploying new systems, ensuring timely delivery, budget adherence, and minimal disruption to clinical operations.
• Ensure that clinical applications are compliant with regulatory requirements (e.g., HIPAA, CMS, Joint Commission).
• Act as a bridge between clinicians and IT professionals, translating clinical needs into technical specifications.
• Work closely with clinical stakeholders to ensure that applications meet their workflow requirements and enhance patient care.
• Collaborate with external vendors to resolve technical issues and ensure the systems perform at optimal levels.
• Manage and mentor a team of clinical application analysts, project managers, and other relevant staff.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and collaboration within the department.
• Evaluate team performance, identify skill gaps, and create professional development plans to address needs.
• Oversee the ongoing maintenance, support, and optimization of clinical applications.
• Monitor system performance and lead efforts to improve usability, reduce downtime, and enhance system integration across departments.
• Develop disaster recovery and business continuity plans for clinical systems.
• Lead initiatives to utilize data from clinical applications for quality improvement, operational efficiency, and clinical decision-making.
• Ensure accurate reporting and data integrity across clinical systems for regulatory compliance and operational performance.
• Manage the budget for clinical applications, including cost forecasting, resource allocation, and vendor negotiations.
• Ensure cost-effective use of resources while meeting operational and strategic objectives.
• Ensure that all clinical applications meet regulatory standards and guidelines (e.g., Meaningful Use, HIPAA, CMS).
• Maintain updated knowledge of healthcare IT regulations and implement changes as necessary to stay compliant.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, health informatics, information technology, or related field required.
• Master’s degree in healthcare informatics, business administration, or equivalent is preferred.
• Minimum of 8-10 years of experience in clinical applications or healthcare IT, including at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Extensive experience in managing clinical application implementations, including EHRs (e.g., Epic, Cerner).
• Proven experience leading large teams and cross-departmental projects.
• Familiarity with regulatory compliance, privacy standards, and patient safety initiatives related to healthcare technology.
• Strong project management skills with experience in Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid methodologies.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills with the ability to inspire, mentor, and develop high-performing teams.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills to work with both clinical and technical teams.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to use data to make informed decisions.
• Ability to manage budgets and allocate resources effectively.
• Expertise in healthcare regulations such as HIPAA, Meaningful Use, and other relevant standards.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or Certified Professional in Healthcare Information & Management Systems (CPHIMS) preferred.
• Epic or Cerner certification (or other relevant clinical applications) is a plus.

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