WVHIN Executive Director Wanted

In 2006 I was appointed to serve a four year term as a Board Member of the new West Virginia Health Information Network (WVHIN). The WVHIN was created in 2006 to help guide the state's efforts and oversee the implementation of a private/public interoperable health information system for West Virginia.

Last week I was speaking with Sallie Hunt, Chief Privacy Officer for the State of West Virginia, who has been instrumental in overseeing the initial activities and assisting with the startup of the WVHIN. She advised that they are now in the process of searching for a full time Executive Director. If you are interested in applying for the position or know of someone who might be interested, please contact Sallie Hunt at (304) 558-7000 Ext. 252.

Sallie provided me with the following summary of the Executive Director job description being used by the search committee.

The Executive Director (ED) is the primary executive officer of the WVHIN, reporting to the WVHIN Board of Directors. As such, the incumbent is responsible for assisting the Board to develop the policies and procedures of the Health Information Network (the WVHIN), for implementing these policies and procedures, and for initiating a periodic review of these policies and procedures.

The ED is responsible for the overall administration and management of the WVHIN. This responsibility includes planning and evaluation, policy development and administration, personnel and fiscal management, public education, provider recruitment, business model development, and media and public relations. The successful candidate will have excellent problem-solving skills, be a self-starter, have an entrepreneurial spirit, and be able to function with minimal supervision.

This position will be the "public face" of the WVHIN and, as such, the incumbent will have to have strong speaking, presentation development and writing skills, with the ability to convey highly technical issues in a clear and compelling manner. The incumbent will have to interact regularly with a wide variety of audiences—healthcare providers, potential and existing funders, policy-makers and executive leaders, consumers, and vendors—and will need the skill to drive and balance a multi-stakeholder constituency group.

The ED will be responsible for developing, maintaining, and engaging in a relationship with the vendor directly providing the technology services of the WVHIN. Thus, the incumbent should have contract management skills and preferably the ability to manage a highly technology-dependent project.

Finally, the ED will have the personal qualities that enable him/her to work comfortably in an environment characterized by significant uncertainty. With the possibility of the governance structure changing and ongoing fund development needs, the ED will spend significant time and energy assisting the Board of Directors and other state stakeholders to arrive at decisions that assure the WVHIN a clear strategic direction and long-term viability. The incumbent must be comfortable working with diverse organizations and in maintaining a balance among competing interests. This balance sometimes requires making difficult decisions to keep the project on track.