Director - System Privacy Officer

Overview

We are seeking a System Privacy Officer Director to join our team at UnityPoint Health!

This role is responsible for strategic development, implementation, evaluation, oversight, and direction of the UnityPoint Health Privacy Program. The Director ensures the privacy of UnityPoint Health patient information, including protected health information (PHI), personally identifiable information (PII), and confidential and proprietary business information. This role also provides oversight of the Privacy Officers and assistance to community connect hospitals to support privacy and patient health information privacy-related activities. Applicants can expect to serve as the Privacy Officer for the departments within System Services, the UnityPoint Health Group Health Plan, and for the UnityPoint Health Affiliated Covered Entity (ACE) which includes UnityPoint Health covered entities and related community connect hospitals. Finally, the System Privacy Officer Director serves as the System Identity Theft Officer.

Candidates with experience in investigations, breach-management, working within large healthcare systems, and keeping patient and team member information safe, are encouraged to apply. 

Location: Remote - applicants must reside within the UnityPoint Health footprint of Iowa, Illinois, or Wisconsin. 

Hours: Monday-Friday, standard business hours 

Why UnityPoint Health?

At UnityPoint Health, you matter. We’re proud to be recognized as a Top 150 Place to Work in Healthcare by Becker's Healthcare several years in a row for our commitment to our team members.  

Our competitive Total Rewards program offers benefits options that align with your needs and priorities, no matter what life stage you’re in.  Here are just a few:      

• Expect paid time off, parental leave, 401K matching and an employee recognition program.   

• Dental and health insurance, paid holidays, short and long-term disability and more. We even offer pet insurance for your four-legged family members.  

• Early access to earned wages with Daily Pay, tuition reimbursement to help further your career and adoption assistance to help you grow your family.   

With a collective goal to champion a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected, we honor the ways people are unique and embrace what brings us together.   

And, we believe equipping you with support and development opportunities is a vital part of delivering an exceptional employment experience. 

Find a fulfilling career and make a difference with UnityPoint Health.

Responsibilities

Leadership:

• Provides leadership in achieving organizational and departmental goals through planning, organizing, implementing and monitoring progress in areas of responsibility
• Provides guidance to the organization on matters related to protected health information management
• Supervises team by motivating, mentoring, coaching and providing guidance
• Facilitates the ongoing learning, well-being, professional satisfaction and development of staff through training, work assignments, increased responsibility, and mentoring
• Keep apprised of leading privacy practices for implementation within UPH
• Presents data, strategies, and progress towards goals in various governance management forums
• Develop strong collaborative leadership relationships and provide privacy related guidance to UPH systemwide along with affiliated entities consistent with UPH values
• Cooperate with the Office for Civil Rights, state Attorney Generals, and other government/regulatory entities to oversee investigation and response to governmental or privacy/security complaints and investigations

Program Management: 

• Responsible for directing and overseeing the implementation, development, and evaluation of the UPH Privacy Program (“Program”) across UPH and affiliated entities
• Oversee the development, and implementation of the systemwide access auditing and monitoring program to ensure compliance with privacy and security regulations
• Ensure appropriate investigation, follow up action, documentation and tracking are conducted for privacy complaints to ensure compliance with regulations
• Collaborate with Corporate Information Security Officer to maintain and enhance the privacy and security programs for UPH
• Develop and ensure up to date privacy training materials for the workforce and appropriate third parties to foster information privacy awareness and compliance
• Develop, implement and periodically review UPH privacy policies, procedures, to incorporate changes in applicable laws, standards and regulatory guidance
• In consultation with legal counsel, serve as the subject matter expert on all privacy related regulations and state law to support systemwide initiatives where such regulations/laws may be implicated
• Responsible for directing and oversight of third-party access to UPH patient information systems consistent with appropriate privacy practices and applicable regulations
• Collaborate with marketing/communications and information technology teams to ensure marketing materials, websites, patient portals, etc. comply with privacy regulations
• Provide oversight and monitoring of all business associate agreements including maintenance of the database of business associate agreements to ensure all privacy concerns, requirements and responsibilities are addressed

Qualifications

Education:

• Required: Bachelor’s degree in healthcare or related field
• Preferred: Master's degree in healthcare or related field 

Experience:

• Required: 8 years of experience in healthcare privacy with an emphasis on the implementation of health information privacy programs with a minumum of 5 years serving as a Privacy Officer 
• Required: Experience in conducting efficient and regular training, investigations, risk assessments and auditing and monitoring activities
• Required: Demonstrated ability to manage a privacy program in an integrated healthcare delivery system
• Required: Progressive leadership experience 

Licenses/Certifications:

• Certified in Healthcare Privacy Compliance (CHPC), Information Privacy Professional (CIPP), Certified HIPAA Professional (CHP) or similar certification.

Skills/Abilities: 

• Knowledge and experience in information privacy laws, access, release of information, and release control technologies
• Knowledge of risk assessment and development of privacy breach reporting systems and protocols
• Possess highly developed written and verbal communication skills to effectively work with all levels of management throughout UnityPoint Health, its subsidiaries, and affiliates
• Significant knowledge of Compliance policies, processes, and practices, and the ability to apply them
• Ability to take initiative and exercise independent judgment and decision-making
• Proficient in Microsoft Office tools