Associate Chief Health Informatics Officer - Fredericksburg, Virginia

The Fredericksburg HCC (FxHCC), opening in March 2025, is seeking an Associate Chief Health Informatics Officer (ACHIO). Part of the Central Virginia VA Health Care System (CVHCS), FxHCC will expand services in a growing veteran region. Reporting to the Director of Clinical Services at FxHCC, with dotted line to the CVHCS CHIO, the ACHIO will bridge informatics efforts between the new facility and the Richmond-based informatics team, which will continue to provide primary support.

This new 470,000+ sq. ft. health care center will replace the existing three smaller Fredericksburg area clinics and provide Veterans of the Fredericksburg and northern Virginia area with high-quality health care services. While this is not a hospital by definition (no inpatient services or emergency room), it will house many of the same great outpatient services offered at the main hospital in Richmond, Virginia.

Functions:

• This role combines clinical, administrative, and technical knowledge that involve multiple specialized areas of a complex nature to develop, manage, maintain, and lead major clinical informatics initiatives and projects of a broad scope.
• The incumbent will use knowledge of patient care combined with the understanding of informatics concepts to achieve the following: assess information and knowledge needs of the health care professionals and patients; characterize, evaluate, and refine clinical processes; develop, implement, and refine clinical decision support systems; and participate in the procurement, customization, implementation, management, evaluation and continuous improvement of clinical information systems.
• As a minimum expectation, informatics personnel should demonstrate the following eight core informatics functions at the baseline proficiency level: application support, business architecture management, enterprise data management, content management, system optimization, change management, requirements management, and partnership management.

Must demonstrate a mastery of:

1. Medical knowledge by being a clinician independently licensed in a State, Territory, or the District of Columbia.
2. The health care environment, including how business processes influence health care delivery and the flow of data among the major domains of the health care system.
3. How information systems and processes enhance or compromise the decision making and actions of health care team members.
4. Re-engineering health care processes.
5. Fundamental information system concepts, including the life cycle of information systems, the constantly evolving capabilities of information technology and health care, and the technical and non-technical issues surrounding system implementation.
6. How clinical information systems impact users and patients, how to support users and how to promote clinical adoption of systems.
7. Leading organizational change, fostering collaboration, communicating effectively, and managing large scale projects related to clinical information systems.

Patient Care Responsibilities:

• The applicant will practice their clinical specialty at FxHCC in a part-time capacity of no less than 25% of their full-time equivalent.
• The incumbent will play key role in demonstrating the capability of the VA clinical information systems and will assist fellow practitioners in doing the right things for the right patients at the right time.
• The incumbent ensures adequate support to measurably improve the quality of data and the transfer of clinical information between providers.
• The incumbent will ensure valid information is available to the patients and to their health care practitioner.
• The incumbent coordinates the use of electronic health record software packages for the provision of quality clinical care as well as the use of clinical decision support tools to streamline the process of patient care and provide accurate date in a timely manner.
• The incumbent will help ensure the VHA's Electronic Health Record (EHR) system operates in a way that improves patient care, ensures patient safety, and meets the needs of providers through continuous evaluation, testing, and improvement of the system.

Salary: $200-320K

Work Schedule: 8:00am to 4:30pm. Monday - Friday

COMMUNITY INFORMATION:

The City of Fredericksburg is an Independent City, well known for its historic heritage as a focus of activity during the Colonial and Civil War eras. Fredericksburg has a population of approximately 27,945 (Weldon Cooper Center people. However, that number is greatly augmented by the number of tourists and visitors drawn to the historic sites and shopping venues in and around the City. Our downtown features chef-owned restaurants, art galleries and studios, and antique and specialty shops, making it a truly distinctive shopping and dining experience. Fredericksburg residents enjoy the services typically found in larger cities, including award-winning schools and neighborhoods within walking distance of downtown.

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 medical centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.

In addition to the honor of serving America’s Heroes, a career at VHA provides a robust total reward$ package (see full brochure here) and offers many benefits including:

• Flexible work schedules and shifts
• Low patient-provider ratios
• Robust insurance coverage
• The ability to work anywhere in the country with one active license
• Stable employment with competitive salary and regular pay increases
• 50 days annual paid time off (26 days paid annual leave, 13 days paid annual sick leave, 11 paid federal holidays) in addition to other leave options including paid parental leave
• Generous education support programs, including loan repayment and reimbursement
• Unprecedented federal retirement benefits including a traditional pension (5 years’ vesting) and a federal 401K (TSP) with up to 5% in employer contributions
• VA’s Diversity, People & Culture

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant’s criminal history before accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to assisting you to your new, rewarding career at the Veterans Health Administration!

Paid Time Off:

• 26 Days paid annual (vacation/personal) leave
• 13 Days paid sick leave each year with no limit on accumulation
• 11 Federal holidays with pay annually
• 5 Days paid absence to attend approved CME courses

Insurance:

• Health Insurance: VA employees have an outstanding number of health insurance plans from which to choose (premiums are partially paid by VA) Lifetime Healthcare Insurance options available
• Dental & Vision: Our insurance options also include exceptional vision and dental plans (premiums are partially paid by VA)
• VA employees have the option to use Flexible Spending Accounts, which allow you to use tax-free dollars to pay for medical, dental, and vision care expenses that are not reimbursed by your health insurance plan
• Term life insurance, family, and additional coverage options are available with the cost shared by the Federal Government
• Long-term care insurance is available as an option

Federal Retirement Plan:

• VA employees are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). FERS is a three-tiered retirement plan composed of 1) Social Security benefits, 2) FERS-RAE basic benefits (pension), and 3) Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) which is a 401K-type plan
• How is the pension funded? VA employees automatically contribute 4.4% of their salary each pay period and the VA contributes 12.2% of the employee’s salary each pay period for a total annual contribution percentage equal to 16.6% of the employee’s salary
• Similar to the 401(k) savings plans widely available in the private sector, the TSP allows employees to tax defer a portion of their income each year, subject to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service. For calendar year 2020, employees under the age of 50 may contribute up to $19,500, while those over age 50 are eligible to make catch-up contributions that allow them to defer up to $25,500.
• The Federal Government also provides an automatic basic contribution (1% of salary) and up to 4% of salary in matching contributions, depending on the amount of the employee contribution
• For retired military personnel, these benefits are in addition to full monthly retirement pay or pension
• In addition to FERS, VA provides health care insurance coverage for retired personnel
• Disability Retirement
• Employees are vested in a federal pension after only 5 years service

Services include: 

Laboratory

Radiology

Pharmacy

Primary Care

Mental Health (substance abuse disorder, individual and group treatment options)

Additional clinical services include:

Whole health

Telehealth 

Audiology

Dental

Optometry

Prosthetics

Physical Medicine & Rehab (physical therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, kinesiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech & language therapy)

Medical and Surgical Specialties (ENT, cardiology, neurology, pulmonary, dermatology, gastroenterology, infusion/oncology, and more)

Additional administrative services available at the Fredericksburg HCC:

Enrollment and eligibility

Release of information

Limited compensation and pension evaluations

VA voluntary services

Local VSO offices/representatives

• There’s a reason people have been putting down roots in Fredericksburg, VA for three centuries. With our rich natural surroundings, lively community, and central location, people come together to share ideas, start new ventures, and create a proud small city culture. Fredericksburg is near the nation’s biggest cities but feels like a different world, and the opportunities for growth are at our fingertips. Fredericksburg is authentic, solid and livable. It’s right where you want to be.
• Fredericksburg is in an area that enjoys one of the fastest growing economies and the highest standards of living in the United States. We are a mere 50 miles south of Washington, D.C. and 50 miles north of Richmond Virginia.
• Our primary schools and institutions of higher learning are second to none. This includes  University of Mary Washington and Strayer University. 
• We offer highly educated, sophisticated workers that are driven to success. The region is a magnet for defense and government contractors, high-tech startups, and cutting-edge healthcare providers.
• Click her for the Fredericksburg visitors guide