Health Operations Analyst and Empanelment Manager

About This Job

APLA Health is dedicated to advancing health equity and fostering wellness within the LGBT community, other underserved populations, and individuals living with or impacted by HIV. As a nonprofit, federally qualified health center, we serve over 14,000 clients each year across 15 locations in Los Angeles County. Our comprehensive services include medical, dental, and behavioral health care; PrEP counseling and management; health education and HIV prevention; and STD screening and treatment. For those living with HIV, we provide essential support such as housing assistance, benefits counseling, home health care, and access to food pantries through the Vance North Necessities of Life Program. We also actively advocate for policies that benefit the LGBT and HIV communities, offer capacity-building support to health departments nationwide, and engage in community-based research. Further details are available at aplahealth.org.

We provide excellent benefits, competitive compensation, and a positive workplace.

Our benefits include:

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance (no cost for employee)
• Vision Insurance (no cost for employee)
• Long Term Disability
• Group Term Life and AD&D Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• 11 Paid Holidays
• 4 Personal Days
• 10 Vacation Days
• 12 Sick Days
• Metro reimbursement or free parking
• Employer Matched (6%) 403b Retirement Plan

This role presents a meaningful opportunity to contribute to an important cause.

The hourly wage for this position ranges from $37.95 to $48.50, with final salary determined by relevant experience.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Health Operations Analyst & Empanelment Manager is tasked with analyzing and enhancing the operational performance of APLA Health\'s clinical functions. This role emphasizes empanelment, data integrity, and workflow efficiency. Responsibilities include ensuring patients are correctly assigned to care teams, maintaining accurate population health data, and guiding operational decisions through data analysis. This position also involves direct supervision of the Data Entry Specialist to guarantee precision, compliance, and consistency in all data and reporting activities.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Operational Analysis & Performance Optimization

• Gather, assess, and interpret data concerning patient access, appointment usage, provider productivity, and quality indicators.
• Create and manage dashboards and performance reports to aid leadership and clinical teams in decision-making.
• Pinpoint workflow inefficiencies and propose process enhancements to improve patient experience and operational results.
• Collaborate with finance, quality, and clinical departments to align operational performance with organizational objectives and compliance requirements.

Empanelment Management

• Direct and oversee the empanelment process to ensure proper assignment of patients to primary care providers or care teams.
• Maintain precise and current provider panels, promoting balanced workloads and fair patient distribution.
• Examine panel data to detect trends in patient attrition, panel capacity, and care gaps.
• Work with clinical and population health teams to enhance patient outreach, care continuity, and risk stratification initiatives.
• Establish policies and procedures for regular empanelment updates and data reconciliation across systems.
• Generate a monthly panel report reviewing PCP assignments, including all patients seen that month, assigned PCP, treating provider (continuity), retention, and PCP changes.
• Calculate continuity percentages for each provider against established goals.
• In partnership with the Chief Clinical Operations Officer and Chief Medical Officer, manage patient- and provider-initiated PCP change requests and implement changes in the EHR.
• Monitor patient status changes, including death or transfer to other care, and update the EHR accordingly.
• Evaluate panel fullness against target size and discuss necessary adjustments with the CCOO and CMO.
• Assess the impact of requests for changes in part-time status.
• Under the guidance of the CCOO and CMO, track impact and assist clinical leadership in decisions regarding cross-coverage, temporary coverage, and movement of whole or partial panels; track provider status changes (transfer, termination, sabbatical, medical leave, etc.) and:
  • Evaluate the impact on the assigned patient panel.
  • Reassign panels to other clinic providers based on panel fullness.
  • Notify affected patients of new PCP assignment.

Data Management & Oversight:

• Supervise the Data Entry Specialist to ensure accurate and timely input of patient and operational data into the electronic health record and related systems.
• Perform periodic data audits to confirm completeness, accuracy, and adherence to HIPAA and organizational standards.
• Partner with IT, Quality, and Operations teams to improve data workflows and ensure consistency across departments.
• Serve as a training resource for staff on data management best practices and empanelment processes.

Staff Training:

• Provide coaching, feedback, and performance management for the Data Entry Specialist to support professional development and accountability.
• Conduct training sessions for staff on data accuracy, empanelment workflows, and reporting systems.
• Deliver PCP Change request training for contact center, front office, and back-office staff.
• Conduct foundational empanelment training for all staff, covering its importance for access and continuity.
• Provide contact center training on scheduling with assigned PCPs.

Reporting & Continuous Improvement:

• Prepare monthly and quarterly reports on empanelment, operational efficiency, and data integrity for leadership review.
• Utilize data analytics to identify opportunities for improving care coordination and patient retention.
• Support compliance, accreditation, and grant reporting by ensuring data integrity and timely submission of required documents.
• Contribute to strategic projects aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and care delivery.
• Monitor continuity target goals and develop performance improvement plans with the CCOO and CMO if goals are not met.
• Develop and generate operational reports such as panel fullness, urgent/same-day appointment availability, third next available, provider productivity, budgeted versus actual visits, unlocked charts, and others.

OTHER DUTIES MAY BE ASSIGNED TO MEET BUSINESS NEEDS.

REQUIREMENTS:

Training and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Finance, Business, or a related field. A minimum of 3–5 years of experience in healthcare operations, data analysis, or population health management is necessary.
• Experience in data and financial analysis is required, with preference given to candidates with SQL knowledge.
• Experience in the healthcare industry or operations is beneficial.
• Experience supervising staff or managing a small team.
• Experience with empanelment, patient attribution, or panel management is strongly preferred.

Knowledge of:

• Healthcare operations.
• Electronic health records and data reporting.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills.

Ability to:

• Communicate effectively with providers, staff, and external vendors. Must be well-organized and detail-oriented.
• Demonstrate strong analytical and written communication skills to prepare thorough and accurate program reports and records. The ability to analyze and interpret data is required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills.
• Proficiency in EHR systems (e.g., Epic, eClinicalWorks, NextGen) and data tools such as Excel, Power BI, or Tableau.
• Knowledge of healthcare quality measures, population health management, and empanelment best practices.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across departments.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Understanding of HIPAA compliance and healthcare data privacy standards.

Core Competencies

• Analytical Excellence: Translates data into actionable insights.
• Leadership: Guides and empowers team members to meet performance goals.
• Collaboration: Builds partnerships across teams to support integrated care.
• Operational Insight: Understands healthcare workflows and process improvement.
• Integrity & Accountability: Upholds data accuracy and organizational standards.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

This is primarily an office-based role. It involves occasional bending, reaching, stooping, and lifting or moving office materials weighing up to 25 pounds. Daily use of a personal computer is required, including entering, viewing, and revising text and graphics on screen and on paper.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must possess a valid California driver’s license, proof of auto liability insurance, and have access to a personal vehicle for work-related purposes.
• COVID vaccination is required. APLA Health will consider accommodations for medical and religious reasons.

Equal Opportunity Employer: APLA Health is an EEO Employer.

To Apply:

Visit our website at www.aplahealth.org to apply or use the following link: https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/portal/A5559163F67395E0A2585D2135F98806/jobs/269258