IT Lead

Description

IT Lead for our rural hospital. This role combines technical leadership with direct help desk support to hospital staff. The ideal candidate will lead IT operations while actively troubleshooting and resolving day-to-day technology issues for clinical and administrative users. Knowledge and experience with MedHost (EHR/EMR system) is strongly preferred.

In a rural hospital setting, the IT Lead must be comfortable wearing multiple hats — providing strategic direction as well as frontline technical support.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and manage all aspects of the hospital’s Information Technology operations

Provide direct help desk support to physicians, nurses, clinical staff, administrative personnel, and other staff — this includes troubleshooting hardware, software, network, and application issues in person, by phone, or remotely

Serve as the primary point of contact for IT-related requests and incidents from hospital staff

Oversee the implementation, maintenance, optimization, and user support for the MedHost hospital information system (strongly preferred)

Manage network infrastructure, servers, workstations, cybersecurity, data backups, and disaster recovery

Ensure high availability and reliability of all clinical and administrative systems

Coordinate IT training and support for end users on MedHost and other hospital applications

Lead small-scale IT projects, system upgrades, and integrations with minimal disruption to patient care

Maintain compliance with HIPAA, HITECH, and other healthcare regulations

Manage vendor relationships, particularly with MedHost support

Participate in on-call rotation for after-hours help desk and emergency support

Develop and maintain IT policies, procedures, and documentation

Monitor system performance and proactively resolve potential issues

Prepare and manage the IT department budget (if applicable)

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, or related field (or equivalent experience)

5+ years of IT experience in a healthcare setting

Proven ability to provide excellent help desk and end-user support

Strong troubleshooting skills across hardware, software, networking, and clinical applications

Experience with MedHost EHR/EMR system is strongly preferred

Solid knowledge of HIPAA security requirements and healthcare IT compliance

Excellent communication and customer service skills — able to explain technical concepts to non-technical staff

Ability to work independently with limited resources in a rural hospital environment

Willingness to be hands-on and respond quickly to urgent staff support needs

Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation

Preferred Qualifications

Previous leadership or supervisory experience

Certifications such as CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, or Healthcare IT Technician

Experience working in a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) or rural healthcare setting

Familiarity with additional systems (PACS, lab, pharmacy, VoIP, etc.)

Project management experience