Note that page is still in development. The preliminary sharing of this information is intended to benefit the ETOR initial implementers in preparation for their implementations, with the understanding that some information may change as our development evolves.
To ensure a successful implementation, you will need to provide the required roles with the appropriate skill set and availability.
Below are details for role requirements on a standard APHL ETOR Implementation.
Public Health Laboratory Roles and Responsibilities
The following roles and associated allocation will be necessary for an ETOR implementation. Depending on laboratory organization and staffing, some roles may be served by multiple individuals, or a single individual may serve in multiple roles. FTE requirements may vary based on the scope of your implementation and will be discussed. The success of the implementation and sustained ETOR solution is reliant on utilizing a team approach.
Role | FTE Implementation | FTE Sustaining | Responsibility | Recommended Skillset |
Project Sponsor | | | Implementation and Sustainability Identifies individuals to fill all required project roles. Commits to participating in implementation project as outlined in Project Charter. Advocate for ETOR with stakeholders. Provides leadership representation in discussions with healthcare organization. Approves milestones for progress (e.g., CLIA approval in Validation, approval to move into Production). Removes obstacles for the project team and negotiates escalated issues and risks related to the project and/or solution.
| Often a Lab Director Has access to and influence with stakeholders. Understands the value and benefits of ETOR. Authority to make commitments and decisions related the ETOR effort. Understands competing priorities and impacts to the ETOR implementation project. Ability to allocate resources to the project. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
|
Project Manager | | | Implementation Works closely with APHL Project Manager to understand and commit to project scope, timeline, management approach. Directs the work assigned to the public health laboratory, monitoring and ensuring timely and quality completion, with assistance from APHL Project Manager. Works closely with healthcare organization team to align goals and tasks. Supports the APHL Project Manager in issue and risk management, escalating as necessary to the Project Sponsor. Creates and maintains the project communication plan for PHL internal and external communication. Coordinates APHL on-site visits. Coordinates all project approvals, including CLIA approval. Provides regular status updates to the Project Sponsor.
| Often a Bench Supervisor or Section Supervisor Knowledge of project management principles and practices. Previous project management experience. System implementation experience. Knowledge of laboratory workflow for receiving a test order and providing a test result. Ability to grasp technical information. Ability to work cooperatively with other organizational entities and engage 3rd parties as necessary. Excellent communication and organizational skills.
|
Lab Subject Matter Expert (SME) | | | Implementation Provides insight into lab processes and workflow. Implements non-technical workflow changes. Creates lab process documentation that reflects updated workflows. Collaborates with HCO during validation. Works with APHL Terminologist and PHL Informatics/Technical Analyst to create test messages. Acts as the LIMS end user. In coordination with the Integration resource, creates formal document for CLIA approval that analyzes the integration, documents additional processes, and outlines any issues with mapping/vocabulary.
Sustaining Trains PHL staff on new ETOR workflow(s) and process(es). Updates standard operating procedures (SOPs) and accesses PHL staff competency in executing SOPs. Collaborates with support staff to manage the follow up needs of the new process. Supports additional ETOR test onboarding. Assist with ETOR quality assurance and troubleshooting.
| Often a Laboratorian Knowledge of lab processes and workflows (specifically for the tests being implemented during the implementation). Access to and experience with LIMS applications. Experience writing workflow procedures (SOPs) for business use. Experience implementing SOPs. Excellent communication and organizational skills. Team player.
|
Informatics/Technical Analyst | | 0.2-0.5
dependent on # of ETOR partners, test types, and volume | Implementation Collaborates with HCO to send/receive necessary artifacts and/or tests. Works with APHL Terminologist and PHL Lab SME to create test messages. Pulls reports/other artifacts or coordinates between PHL IT to do so. Reviews Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and coordinates updates as needed. Advocates for ETOR with stakeholders. Sets up connection to AIMS intermediary.
Sustaining Monitors ETOR feed and ensures data quality. Coordinates required updates and/or changes with test(s). Provides Help Desk support to PHL and HCO ETOR users (this may need to be covered by an additional resource). Troubleshoots issues and escalates as necessary with HCO and APHL counterparts. Documents ETOR troubleshooting processes and maintains technical SOPs. Reviews mapping updates in Waypoint and coordinating with APHL as needed. Advocates for ETOR with stakeholders.
| Often a LIMS Administrator or IT Technical Architect Knowledge of laboratory standards preferred. Familiarity with HCO test data. Access to and experience with LIMS applications. Understanding of how to monitor data feeds (e.g., quality of data, quantity of data). Ability to maintain knowledge of NBS test updates and/or changes. Knowledge of integration engine a plus. Excellent communication and organizational skills. Team player.
|
LIMS Vendor Representative - 3rd party | Dependent on LIMS capability | Dependent on LIMS capability | Implementation and Sustaining | |
In addition to the project roles defined above, the following personnel may be minimally involved and/or impacted by the ETOR implementation: legal representation, sample receiving staff/test courier, quality assurance specialist, procurement staff, and/or additional sustaining support.
Please provide contact information for the required Public Health Laboratory Roles Here: Profile Page
Healthcare Organization Roles and Responsibilities
The following roles and associated allocation will be necessary for an ETOR implementation. Depending on healthcare organization and staffing, some roles may be served by multiple individuals, or a single individual may serve in multiple roles. FTE requirements may vary based on the scope of your implementation and will be discussed.
| | | | |
|---|
Project Sponsor | | | Implementation and Sustainability Commits to participating in implementation project as outlined in implementation project charter. Approves milestones for progress (e.g., approval in Validation, approval to move from Limited Production to Full Production). Advocate for ETOR with healthcare organization stakeholders, including medical staff, nursing, laboratory, and IT leadership. Identifies resources and allocates their time appropriately to the project and long-term maintenance needs. Work closely with public health laboratory and APHL team during the implementation. Acts as conduit for raising project issues with public health laboratory leadership. Provides leadership representation for discussions between public health laboratory and healthcare organization. Removes obstacles for the project team and negotiates escalated issues and risks related to the project and/or solution.
| Often an Administrator Organizational knowledge of the healthcare organization. Has access to and influence with leadership. Ability to access and allocate resources to the project. Understands the value and benefits of ETOR. Understands the clinical workflow involved in ordering a test and receiving a result. Understand competing priorities and impacts to the ETOR implementation project. Authority to make commitments and decisions related the ETOR effort.
|
Project Manager | | | Implementation Responsible for the day-to-day management of the project. Works closely with public health laboratory team to align goals and tasks. Works closely with APHL Project Manager to establish timeline and priorities. Directs the work assigned to the healthcare organization, monitoring and ensuring timely and quality completion. Provides issue and risk management, escalating as necessary to the Project Sponsor. Provides status updates to the Project Sponsor.
| Often an IT Project Manager Knowledge of project management principles and practices. Previous project management experience. System implementation experience. Knowledge of public health laboratories and healthcare organizations. Ability to grasp technical information. Ability to work cooperatively with other organizational entities and engage 3rd parties as necessary. Excellent communication and organizational skills.
|
Testing Analyst | | | Implementation Acts as point person for the TA Team, PHL, and any visit(s). Provides insight into HCO processes. Creates test order data to generate messages in sending system. Collaborates with PHL to send/receive necessary artifacts and/or tests. Acts as the EHR end user. Review and validates test result data for completeness and quality. Approve mappings in Waypoint.
Sustaining Trains HCO staff on new ETOR workflow(s) and process(es). Updates standard operating procedures (SOPs) and accesses HCO staff competency in executing SOPs. Collaborates with support staff to manage the follow up needs of the new process. Supports additional ETOR test onboarding. Assist with ETOR quality assurance and troubleshooting.
| Often a Nurse Manager or Nurse Understands the clinical workflow involved in ordering a test and receiving a result. Knowledge of public health data standards (HL7, IHE, LOINC, SNOMED CT, UCUM, ICD). Knowledge of Waypoint mapping tool. Access to and experience with healthcare organization EHR system (end user). Excellent communication and organizational skills. Team player.
|
Hospital IT Specialist  | | dependent on test types and volume | Implementation Engages in discussions to strategize switch from Limited/Parallel Production and Full Production. Turns on system for switch to Production. Collaborates with APHL Technical Architect. Sets up connection to AIMS intermediary.
Sustaining Monitors ETOR feed. Coordinates required updates and/or changes with test(s). Troubleshoot issues and escalate as necessary with HCO and APHL counterparts. Reviewing mapping updates in Waypoint and coordinating with APHL as needed. Documenting ETOR troubleshooting processes and maintaining technical SOPs.
| Often an IT Specialist Understanding of how to monitor data feeds (e.g., quality of data, quantity of data). Knowledge of integration engine a plus.
|
EHR Analyst/Engineer | Dependent on EHR capability | Dependent on EHR capability | | Often an EHR analyst (maybe from EHR Vendor) |
Please provide contact information for the required Healthcare Organization Roles Here: Profile Page
APHL Roles and Responsibilities
The assigned APHL Technical Assistance (TA) Team will be supported by a centralized team that includes architects, terminologists and engineers. The centralized team will be responsible for the intermediary configuration, while the public health laboratory focused team will be responsible for addressing public health laboratory (PHL) and healthcare organization (HCO) unique requirements, and supporting the design, documentation and updates of local systems and processes. The below includes a description of the roles that will be a part of the public health laboratory focused team.
| | |
|---|
Project Sponsor | | Commits to participating in implementation project as outlined in implementation project charter. Provides oversight to all APHL ETOR technical assistance teams. Responsible for the staffing and scheduling of ETOR implementations. Serves as escalation and support for team.
|
Project Manager | | Acts as APHL primary contact for PHL and HCO involved in the implementation project. Manages implementation project(s) and TA engagement(s) including scheduling and project planning, stakeholder management, risk identification and mitigation, issue tracking and solutioning, communication, and associated documentation per APHL standards. Coordinates with APHL TA team, PHL, and HCO to ensure tasks are completed and progress made. Provides review, quality control, and assurance on TA processes and deliverables. Provides project management updates following APHL and PMO policies. Collates feedback from APHL TA Team, PHL, and HCO on implementation process opportunities for improvement. Coordinates project meetings (and agendas) between APHL TAS teams and various stakeholders, documents meeting minutes/decisions/action items/next steps, and performs follow-up. Leads knowledge management activities to organize, track and communicate project activities in Smartsheet or Confluence. Utilizes APHL processes, communications, tracking systems or other logistical solutions to help ensure project success.
|
Lab Workflow SME | | Observes, documents, and assesses current PHL and HCO workflows and processes around ordering and result reporting. Leads and analyzes gap analyses for 1) current workflow(s) vs future workflow(s) and 2) required and desired elements. Documents future-state PHL workflows, encompassing ETOR processes. Documents future-state HCO workflows, encompassing ETOR processes. Documents functions that differ from current processes and how to handle if/then situations. Documents requirements for test(s) in scope for ETOR implementation. Primarily supports the Planning & Analysis and Production portion of the Implementation. Provides insight to Terminologist should questions arise during Configuration and/or later steps of the approach.
|
Terminologist | | Collecting information from the PHL and HCO. Identifies data element gaps. Map local codes to middle ground (intermediary) for both PHL and HCO. Assists with mapping local-to-standardized values across different vocabulary domains. Provides test case scenarios. Performs validation on HL7 messages and provides feedback. Assists in implementation of public health integration use cases using national messaging standards (HL7), implementation guides, and encoding guidelines. Helps develop and maintain message implementation guides, business rules, and message specifications as needed for APHL member and partner organization support (e.g., result reporting to CDC, ETOR for PHLs and their business partners, etc.). Seeks insight from the Lab Workflow SME should questions arise regarding workflow documentation. Provides training on Waypoint (mapping tool).
|
Technical Architect | | Analyzes client IT environments and messaging capabilities. Helps to identify technical solutions to meet messaging requirements. Provides TA consulting to healthcare organization and public health laboratory to advise on implementation of IT messaging solutions (e.g., reviewing for structural errors, writing queries to pick up messages outside of the S3 receiving bucket). Coordinates with centralized technical team for specific technical tasks. Provides training on DASH (message monitoring tool).
|
Data Integration Engineer | | Establishes connection between PHL and middle ground. Establishes connection between HCO and middle ground. Determines extraction process from the LIMS (what can it import, export). Works closely with terminologists. Collects information on data workflow, primarily with LIMS and integration engine. Works with LIMS vendor as necessary.
|