Epic Applications Analyst

The Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI) has an exciting new opportunity for an experienced Epic Applications Analyst to support our growing research. The Analyst will be responsible for supporting Epic applications through planning, designing, implementing, maintaining, and optimizing Epic-based tools that support clinical research, innovation and grant-funded initiatives across Hennepin Healthcare.

This is a hybrid remote position. Work will primarily be done from home with opportunities to meet in-person with other staff and analysts at least weekly at our office in downtown Minneapolis, MN.

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position will work within the Research and Evaluation Data Analytics Core (REDAC) at Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI). REDAC is a dedicated, single-entry point resource providing centralized support with data analytics, program evaluation, and research methodology across the Hennepin Healthcare System (HHS) and HHRI. The new Epic Applications analyst will build and support Epic-based research and innovation infrastructure, with a focus will be Epic Ambulatory and Inpatient Clinical Documentation. The analyst will partner with clinicians, researchers, informaticists, data analysts, and operational leaders to translate funded research and improvement initiatives into Epic workflows, tools, data capture, and documentation in clinical environments. This role will also partner with Hennepin Healthcare IT teams that house and maintain the EPIC system to collaborate in the shared environments.

Unlike traditional Epic analyst roles that focus primarily on operational support, this position will support innovative, grant-funded projects that may evolve over time, requiring the ability to adapt Epic tools and workflows to meet emerging project needs. The analyst will play a key role in enabling research and innovation teams to leverage the electronic health record as a platform for clinical research, care innovation, and data-driven improvement. Examples of projects that will occur in the first 12 months of the role include:

• Supporting the Brain Health Clinic initiative that is integrating neurology into primary care to screen for and treat early-stage dementia
• Updating the applications, documentation and workflow for healthcare at the Hennepin County jail to support Medicaid billing and reimbursement

The analyst will play a critical role in supporting research and innovation initiatives by optimizing the electronic health record as an integrated platform for clinical care, research workflows, and data capture. With expertise in ambulatory and clinical documentation applications, this individual will design and enhance front-end clinical and documentation workflows to ensure accurate, structured data collection that supports research protocols, reporting, and regulatory needs. In parallel, they will collaborate with operational and billing teams to align documentation and encounter workflows with downstream revenue cycle processes, promoting data integrity, transparency, and long-term sustainability of grant- and contract-funded programs. Depending on the needs of funded research initiatives, the scope of this role may expand to support additional Epic applications and data analysis functionality.

This role will be integrated into the REDAC team, which is made up of data analysts, research methodologists, informaticists, and project managers. This role is well suited for an individual who is collaborative, creative, flexible, and self-driven, and who enjoys working in a dynamic environment where technology, informatics, data analytics and research intersect to improve clinical care and health system performance.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Designs, builds, and maintains Epic tools and workflows that support clinical research activities and grant-funded projects within Hennepin Healthcare and Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute.
• Collaborates with clinicians, researchers, informaticists, research staff, and REDAC analysts to translate research requirements into Epic system design and technical specifications.
• Supports the development, implementation, and optimization of Epic Research Module functionality, including research protocols, study workflows, and EHR-based data capture.
• Analyzes and diagnoses system issues, identifies root causes, and resolves problems or escalates issues to appropriate IT staff when necessary.
• Plans, designs, implements, maintains, and provides ongoing optimization and support for Epic applications supporting research and clinical operations.
• Gathers, validates, and translates technological requirements into system design specifications.
• Builds and maintains Epic workflows that support research recruitment, clinical documentation, data capture, and study-related processes.
• Works collaboratively with IT teams, clinicians, and researchers to evaluate, design, test, implement, and maintain Epic-based solutions.
• Participates in the preparation, coding, testing, and debugging of complex Epic configurations and workflows.
• Supports integration of Epic functionality with research data infrastructure, including reporting and analytics workflows.
• Identifies reporting needs and works with data analytics and reporting teams to support research and operational reporting requirements.
• Documents system design, application configuration, and technical specifications and contributes to training and support materials for end users.
• Reviews Epic upgrade documentation and evaluates potential impacts on research workflows and applications.
• Partners with Epic and other vendors to troubleshoot system issues and identify opportunities for system improvement.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:

Education/Experience:

Any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge and skills is qualifying. Typical minimum qualifications include Associates of Arts (AA) or Bachelor's degree in health informatics, information systems, healthcare administration, computer science, or a related field may substitute for required experience. Minimum of three (3) years of experience supporting Epic applications or related healthcare IT systems required.

• Experience working with clinical workflows, healthcare data systems, or research-related IT environments preferred, as is experience with Epic.

Skill, Knowledge & Ability (SKA):

Required:

• Ability to think strategically and demonstrate flexibility to adapt to changes in organizational or department priorities.
• Demonstrated analytical, critical thinking, problem-solving, and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work in a dynamic, evolving environment
• Ability to communicate technical concepts effectively to clinical, operational, and research audiences

Certification:

Epic certification in a primary application will be required within four months of hire.

Preference will be given to applicants with Epic certification in:

• Epic Ambulatory
• Epic Inpatient Clinical Documentation

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience working with data in fields such as health care analytics, research, or epidemiology
• Experience supporting clinical research workflows within Epic
• Familiarity with Epic Research Module
• Experience working with clinical informatics teams, research teams, or healthcare data analytics groups
• Understanding of clinical data capture, research registries, or EHR-enabled research
• Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams including clinicians, researchers, analysts, and IT professionals

HHRI is an Equal Opportunity Employer