Associate Chief Information Officer (ACIO), Applications

Associate Chief Information Officer (ACIO), Applications
onsite: Hagerstown, Maryland

At Meritus Health, technology is a strategic engine that powers clinical excellence, operational performance, and an exceptional patient and provider experience. The Associate Chief Information Officer (ACIO), Applications provides executive leadership and strategic direction for the full portfolio of enterprise clinical and business applications, with primary accountability for the Epic electronic health record (EHR) and the organization’s integrated application ecosystem.

Serving as a senior deputy to the CIO, the ACIO owns the lifecycle of these systems—selection, implementation, optimization, integration, support, and decommissioning—and ensures they remain stable, secure, compliant, and aligned with Meritus’s clinical, operational, financial, and academic goals. This leader partners closely with stakeholders across hospital and ambulatory services, the accountable care organization, revenue cycle, finance, quality, physician enterprise, supply chain, and the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine to translate institutional strategy into a governed, transparent application roadmap.

The ACIO leads a high‑caliber team of internal analysts, managers, and external/hosted partners, maintaining a prioritized backlog and delivering projects in collaboration with IT peers in infrastructure, cybersecurity, data, and the PMO. Success in this role is demonstrated through proactive, insightful strategies that enhance patient and provider experience, strengthen operating performance, and advance Meritus’s position as a Baldrige‑recognized, technology‑enabled health system and academic enterprise.

Essential Functions

Application Portfolio & EHR Operations

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  Direct the day‑to‑day operations, configuration, and continuous optimization of the Epic platform and the broader enterprise application portfolio

  
  


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  Own the intake, evaluation, prioritization, and disposition of change and feature requests

  
  


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  Coordinate releases, upgrades, and issue resolution to ensure system stability and support patient care and business operations

  
  

Third‑Party & Integrated Applications

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  Oversee the selection, contracting, integration, and ongoing management of third‑party and best‑of‑breed applications that interface with Epic

  
  


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  Serve as primary liaison to the third‑party hosting vendor and key software partners

  
  


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  Govern service levels, interoperability standards, technical debt, and portfolio rationalization to maximize value and minimize redundancy

  
  

Team Leadership & Talent Development

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  Build, structure, and lead the applications organization, including internal analysts, managers, and contracted resources

  
  


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  Provide coaching, mentorship, and professional development to ensure certifications, succession planning, retention, and a culture of accountability and continuous learning

  
  

Governance, Prioritization & Project Delivery

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  Partner with the PMO and IT leadership to establish and sustain an application governance and project‑execution framework

  
  


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  Maintain a transparent, prioritized backlog and align demand with capacity

  
  


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  Ensure projects are delivered on scope, schedule, and budget with clear communication and measurable outcomes

  
  

Revenue Cycle Enablement

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  Collaborate with revenue cycle and patient financial services leaders to improve coding accuracy, charge capture, billing timeliness, receivables collection, payer‑mix management, and HSCRC reporting

  
  


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  Ensure effective configuration and optimization of Epic Resolute and related applications

  
  

Clinical Informatics & Workflow Optimization

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  Partner with Clinical Informatics and clinical business owners to ensure consistent, compliant, and efficient workflows

  
  


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  Reduce clinician burden, improve usability, and drive adoption and satisfaction across the EHR

  
  

Innovation, Analytics & Continuous Improvement

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  Champion responsible use of data, automation, and AI capabilities within and around the application portfolio

  
  


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  Advance analytics, reporting, and alignment with enterprise AI and data‑governance frameworks

  
  

Compliance, Security & Risk Management

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  Ensure applications meet regulatory and accreditation requirements (HIPAA, HITECH, CMS, Joint Commission)

  
  


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  Partner with Cybersecurity, Risk, and Compliance to manage application risk, access governance, audit readiness, and business continuity

  
  


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  Perform other duties as assigned

  
  

Minimum Qualifications

Education

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  Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Health Informatics, Healthcare Administration, Business, Finance, Public Health, or a related field required

  
  


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  Master’s degree (MBA, MHA, MPH, or MS in Health Informatics) strongly preferred

  
  

Experience

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  Ten (10) or more years of progressive healthcare information technology experience

  
  


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  Five (5) or more years of leadership accountability for enterprise applications, including direct oversight of Epic at an enterprise level

  
  


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  Demonstrated success managing large, cross‑functional teams, third‑party vendors, hosted services, complex implementations, and enterprise governance

  
  


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  Strong command of healthcare operations, clinical and revenue cycle workflows, and Maryland HSCRC reporting

  
  


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  Experience in a multi‑hospital, integrated delivery network, or academic medical environment preferred

  
  

Licensure / Certification

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  Epic certification(s) in one or more relevant modules required within a defined period after hire (or equivalent demonstrated proficiency)

  
  


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  PMP, CHCIO, ITIL, or Lean Six Sigma certification preferred

  
  

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

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  Deep knowledge of Epic systems, workflows, lifecycle management, and post‑go‑live optimization

  
  


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  Expertise in integrating third‑party clinical and business applications

  
  


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  Strong strategic, analytical, and financial acumen

  
  


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  Exceptional executive communication, stakeholder management, and change‑leadership skills

  
  


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  Skilled in application governance, portfolio rationalization, and vendor management

  
  


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  Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and enterprise collaboration tools

  
  


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  Ability to manage a complex, multi‑priority environment with a strong customer‑service orientation

  
  


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  Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment

  
  

Caring for Our Team 
We are committed to supporting the well-being and professional development of our team members through a comprehensive benefits package, which includes: 

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
  Coverage begins on the first of the month following your hire date.


• Life Insurance & Disability Coverage
  Includes company-paid life insurance, as well as short- and long-term disability benefits to provide peace of mind.


• Paid Time Off (PTO)
  A generous PTO program designed to help you recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance.


• 401(k) Retirement Plan
  Benefit from a robust company match to support your long-term financial goals.


• Education Assistance & Tuition Reimbursement
  Support for your continued learning and career growth.


• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
  Options to save pre-tax dollars for eligible healthcare and dependent care expenses.


• Shift Differential Pay
  Team members working evening, night, or weekend shifts may be eligible for additional pay.

Executive Compensation Package includes Increased PTO Accrual, Sick Leave Bank, Bonus Eligibility, 401k and 457B, Target Base Salary commensurate with experience approximately 210K.

Happy to Help
At Meritus, we believe in a collaborative and caring work environment. Interactions are an opportunity to learn, listen and to be there for one another. Therefore, we provide warm welcomes, hospitality-driven closures, and are always Happy to Help.