Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research Data Scientist Emergency Medicine Research Unit POSITION DESCRIPTION Research Group: Status: Hours: Salary: Reports to: Emergency Medicine Research Unit Full-time for one (1) year with a possible extension subject to funding 38 hours per week; a 1.0 FTE $121,246 per annum base salary. Salary packaging is available Firstly to A/Prof Paul Middleton, Director Emergency Medicine Research Unit and then to the Ingham Institute s Chief Operating Officer Background The Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research (the Institute) is a not-for-profit organisation located in Sydney s South West that conducts world-class medical research that specifically addresses, and can be applied to, the needs of the local population and to wider Australia. The Institute is integral to a unique collaboration with the South Western Sydney Local Health District, Western Sydney University and the UNSW Sydney. The Emergency Medicine Research Unit (EMRU) at Liverpool is the academic centre of the Liverpool Hospital Emergency Department and, as such, leads the drive for a scientific and research based approach to emergency care. The EMRU plans to work with clinicians, patients and managers to design and promote better emergency clinical care for patients attending Liverpool Hospital, the South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD), NSW and by extension, all patients across Australia. The EMRU research agenda focuses on collaboration between clinical and scientific groups, and multiple domains of investigation. It includes activity in clinical epidemiology, multicultural emergency medicine, geriatric emergency medicine, critical illness and injury diagnosis and treatment, non-invasive monitoring, data visualisation and pattern recognition, complex adaptive systems as applied to ED and hospital function, clinical structures and interactions, medical decision-making and clinical cognition. The EMRU is seeking a Data Scientist who will be responsible for performing statistical analyses using different data sets, and any other tasks as requested. Purpose of Position The EMRU Data Scientist will act as the project lead in the development and use of linked data sets comprising Cerner FirstNet, Electronic Medical Record and Australia and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS) datasets, working closely with Liverpool Hospital and SWSLHD data services, with the potential for further linkage to other datasets both internal and external. December 2017 Page 1 of 5
The EMRU Data Scientist will undertake collaborative projects including Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, and advanced statistical analyses of linked data, which will be expected to lead to strategic improvements in the quality of emergency care at Liverpool Hospital, the South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD), NSW and Australia. The position will work collaboratively with the EMRU team, research collaborators based in both university and clinical settings, and any relevant advisory committees to provide comprehensive services to support the research projects of the EMRU. Key Responsibilities The EMRU Data Scientist will provide data cleaning, manipulation and linkage in order to allow and facilitate interpretation, analysis and modeling; they will collaborate with Liverpool Hospital and SWSLHD data services in the investigation of current and future health utilisation related to emergency medicine patients in order to inform a range of EMRU work relating to economic, resourcing and diagnostic strategies, clinical interventions, patient outcomes, clinical reasoning and team function, and clinical or system redesign projects primarily related to emergency care. The position will be responsible for providing high level advice and support to the EMRU team, SWSLHD emergency departments, the SWSLHD and any EMRU Advisory Committees, and is responsible for ensuring the quality and integrity of the data and information used to support work plans and research projects. Essential Selection Criteria - Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline and/or demonstrated significant relevant industry experience, including experience using SAS, SQL or similar database query languages. - High level analytical skills in data collection, validation and interpretation to support a high level ability to undertake data integration and analytical techniques using multiple database sources. - Knowledge of means to ensure data privacy and integrity (e.g. custodianship, governance) and familiarity with health data (e.g. SAPHaRI, HIE or EDWARD) - Ability to work collaboratively and negotiate with others to design analyses that will assist in informing and recommending decisions regarding new approaches to emergency medicine and health service delivery. - Demonstrated extensive experience in all phases of project management from design to implementation and evaluation, including the provision of written detailed reports. - Outstanding oral and written communication skills including the writing of detailed reports, briefs and submission that summarise complex data and information for senior executive teams, and demonstrated ability to present information in a manner understood by both technical and non-technical audiences. - An understanding of the contemporary issues, challenges and directions facing emergency health care services. December 2017 Page 2 of 5
Key Accountabilities Key Performance Indicators Data / Database Management Build appropriate data databases / data repositories where necessary Perform data linkage between diverse datasets; undertake high quality, highly complex and advanced analyses of emergency care data from a number of sources; provide interpretation and prepare reports for demand, supply, service utilisation and clinical outcome variables. Lead and coordinate the analysis of data for Liverpool, SWSLHD, and potentially Sydney and NSW Emergency Department (ED) epidemiology, clinical and activity data with all relevant groups and individuals working within EMRU Advisory Committees and working groups. Provide information management and data strategy support to the EMRU through the creation of information management systems and data management protocols. Identify enhancements to data collection systems as required. Create and enhance data collection and reporting tools that are tailored to EMRU and ED stakeholder projects. Provide solutions for data quality monitoring and cleaning of custodian data and collected data from inter-organisational projects. Collaboration Work collaboratively with individuals and services both internal and external to the Emergency Department, including those in Liverpool Hospital, SWSLHD, Ministry of Health and University sectors, to build and optimise data systems which facilitate innovative epidemiological, clinical and operational investigations. Foster effective communication, information exchange and cooperative work arrangements across health services in SWSLHD, Sydney and NSW. Participate in the SWSLHD Health Data Science Interest Group. Develop and refine ED epidemiology, clinical and activity data knowledge and processes to inform incident and clinical data analysis findings. Liaise with stakeholders to identify, monitor and integrate clinical and administrative data from diverse sources relating to Liverpool Hospital and SWSLHD emergency care, to meet evolving demands for information from internal and external partners. Project Management and Reporting Deliver, in collaboration with senior research staff, all aspects of project management including preparation of project briefs, identifying and coordinating resources, stakeholder consultation, developing budgets, identifying key milestones, negotiating reporting Version: December 2017 Page 3 of 5
requirements and completion timeframes. Develop, in collaboration with the Director EMRU and other senior research staff, a teaching program in research principles, research design, basic biostatistics and research project implementation. Conduct high quality, advanced analyses and provide interpretation and reports to appropriate demand, supply and service utilisation variables. Provide analytics support for integrated and multidisciplinary models of care Create engaging and novel methods for obtaining and displaying clinical and operational information accessible to clinicians and reflecting real time inputs. Streamline the analysis and reporting of ED incident and clinical data through the development of meaningful reports to inform system enhancements Prepare various documents including briefing papers, discussion papers, reports, submissions, related correspondence and responses as requested. Provide timely, high level advice and support to the Liverpool Hospital Director Emergency Medicine Research Unit, Director Emergency Medicine (DEM) and Deputy DEMs, EM specialist clinical staff and trainees, the Emergency Department and relevant hospital and LHD staff; including opportunities for improvement in technical, data collection, and other specific areas of expertise. Keep up-to-date with state, national and international trends in emergency care information and data collation, recording and reporting. Perform other duties as directed by the Director EMRU. Challenges / problem solving Managing expectations of competing priorities from potentially conflicting work plans. Managing multiple project requests and activities with non-negotiable timeframes requiring high quality outcomes and deliverables. Obtaining engagement and agreement from key stakeholders to maximise acceptance of outcomes. Communication Key stakeholders for the role include: Liverpool Hospital Emergency Medicine service staff. South Western Sydney LHD Emergency Medicine service staff. Liverpool Hospital clinical, managerial and executive staff. South Western Sydney LHD clinical, managerial and executive staff. South Western Sydney Primary Health Network. Collaborating investigators and research organisations. Version: December 2017 Page 4 of 5
NSW Health Data organisations and committees such as CHeReL the Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence, and ehealth. SWS Health Research Ethics Committee. NSW Ambulance Service and the NSW Ambulance Medical Retrieval Unit (MRU) Peak emergency educational and professional bodies. Understand and uphold WHS requirements and responsibilities. Complies with the Institute s WH&S Statement and WH&S Policy and Procedures Is always mindful of workplace safety as it pertains to self. 100% of accidents are reported within 24 hours Makes proper use of relevant safety equipment Attends training programs as directed. Work as an Institute team member. Is an effective team member. Attends Institute staff meetings and, where applicable, shares information available at these meetings with unit staff. Complies with Ingham Institute Code of Conduct. Contributes to the research culture at Ingham Institute. Participates in Ingham Institute supporting activities. Other duties as required by the Director of the EMRU and / or the Institute s COO. Undertakes duties as requested by the supervisor/s. Version: December 2017 Page 5 of 5