San Diego Health Connect (SDHC)
Executive Director of San Diego Health Connect (SDHC)
Organizational Overview
San Diego Health Connect (SDHC) is a nonprofit Health Information Exchange (HIE) and designated California Qualified Health Information Organization (QHIO) serving San Diego and Imperial Counties. As a subsidiary of 211 San Diego, SDHC serves as a trusted bridge between healthcare, public health, emergency medical services, behavioral health, and community-based organizations, enabling secure, real-time exchange of health information to improve care coordination and advance whole-person care.
Processing more than 50 million clinical messages each month and maintaining a patient index of 4.8 million individuals, SDHC connects hospitals, health systems, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), physician groups, EMS agencies, public health departments, managed care organizations, pharmacies, and community partners throughout the region. Through leadership in interoperability, health information exchange, and healthcare innovation, SDHC supports improved health outcomes while advancing California's vision for integrated health and social care.
Position Summary
Reporting directly to the President & CEO of 211 San Diego, the Executive Director (ED) provides strategic, operational, financial, and technical leadership for San Diego Health Connect. As the organization's senior executive, the ED is responsible for advancing SDHC's mission while ensuring operational excellence, regulatory compliance, financial sustainability, and continued growth as one of California's premier Health Information Exchanges.
The Executive Director combines the strategic vision of a chief executive with the operational discipline of a chief operating officer, providing leadership across healthcare interoperability, technology, compliance, finance, partnerships, cybersecurity, and organizational performance. The ED translates organizational strategy into execution while ensuring SDHC remains responsive to an evolving healthcare landscape, emerging technologies, and changing regulatory requirements.
Operating within a highly dynamic and politically complex environment, the Executive Director serves as SDHC's primary ambassador, cultivating executive-level relationships with hospitals, health systems, clinics, federally qualified health centers, managed care organizations, health plans, pharmacies, public health agencies, behavioral health providers, government leaders, technology partners, and community organizations. This leader possesses deep healthcare industry knowledge, understands the complexities of electronic health records and health information exchange, and has the ability to synthesize complex healthcare policy, regulatory requirements, and industry trends into actionable organizational strategies. The Executive Director must demonstrate exceptional executive presence, political acumen, and the agility to pivot quickly while leading a fast-paced, mission-driven organization.
Responsibilities
Executive Leadership & Strategic Direction
- Develop and execute SDHC's strategic plan, business model, and long-term financial sustainability roadmap.
- Translate organizational vision into measurable operational objectives, ensuring successful execution across all areas of the organization.
- Identify opportunities to leverage SDHC's relationship with 211 San Diego to expand partnerships, strengthen interoperability, and increase organizational impact throughout the healthcare and social care ecosystem.
- Drive organizational growth through strategic partnerships, innovation, service expansion, and continuous improvement.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, service excellence, and mission-driven leadership.
- Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors, providing strategic guidance, organizational performance updates, and recommendations that support informed governance and long-term sustainability.
Healthcare Industry Leadership & Public Policy
- Represent SDHC in local, regional, state, and national healthcare interoperability initiatives and policy discussions.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with healthcare executives, elected officials, state agencies, industry associations, and community leaders.
- Monitor, interpret, and synthesize healthcare legislation, public policy, and regulatory developments affecting health information exchange, interoperability, healthcare technology, and data sharing.
- Guide organizational strategy related to California's Data Exchange Framework (DxF), TEFCA, Qualified Health Information Organization (QHIO) requirements, CMS regulations, HIPAA, HITECH, and emerging interoperability standards.
- Participate in statewide collaborations and legislative meetings, including periodic travel to Sacramento to support advocacy, partnership development, and regulatory initiatives.
Operations & Technical Leadership
- Provide executive oversight of all organizational operations, ensuring high-quality, efficient, and compliant delivery of HIE services, including Event Notification Services, the POLST Registry, EMS Data Exchange, and other enterprise initiatives.
- Oversee budgeting, procurement, contract management, operational planning, and organizational performance measurement.
- Provide strategic leadership over SDHC's technical infrastructure, including: Electronic Health Record (EHR) integration, Health Information Exchange (HIE), Master Patient Index (MPI), Master Data Management (MDM), ETL processes, clinical messaging, and data quality and interoperability.
- Guide technology investments that enhance interoperability, scalability, security, user experience, and long-term organizational resilience.
- Ensure operational excellence while maintaining the flexibility to pivot quickly in response to evolving healthcare priorities, regulatory changes, funding opportunities, and technological advancements.
Strategic Partnerships & Community Engagement
- Build, strengthen, and sustain trusted executive-level partnerships with hospitals and health systems, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), physician organizations and clinics, managed care organizations and health plans, pharmacies and pharmacy networks, behavioral health providers, EMS agencies, public health departments, community-based organizations, government agencies, and technology partners and vendors.
- Serve as SDHC's primary external representative, building visibility, credibility, and influence throughout the healthcare and nonprofit communities.
- Collaborate closely with 211 San Diego and Community Information Exchange (CIE) leadership to advance integration of Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) data with clinical information, supporting whole-person care and improved community outcomes.
- Develop new strategic partnerships that expand participation, strengthen regional collaboration, and increase the value of SDHC's services.
Compliance, Information Governance & Risk Management
- Ensure organizational compliance with all applicable federal, state, and industry regulations, including HIPAA, HITECH, CMS requirements, California's Data Exchange Framework (DxF), TEFCA, and QHIO standards.
- Maintain executive oversight of enterprise data governance, privacy, cybersecurity, information security, and risk management programs.
- Ensure robust cybersecurity practices, disaster recovery planning, business continuity, and protection of sensitive health information.
- Lead internal audits, compliance reviews, quality improvement initiatives, and proactive risk mitigation strategies.
- Promote a culture of regulatory excellence, ethical stewardship, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.
Financial Stewardship & Organizational Sustainability
- Develop and oversee the organization's annual operating budget and long-term financial plans.
- Identify opportunities for revenue growth through strategic partnerships, grants, service expansion, and innovative business models.
- Oversee vendor relationships, contractual agreements, and procurement processes to ensure exceptional service delivery and fiscal responsibility.
- Monitor organizational performance through key performance indicators and financial metrics that support sustainable growth.
Leadership & Organizational Development
- Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary team of approximately 10–15 professionals across operations, technology, data services, and administration.
- Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing culture grounded in accountability, innovation, and service excellence.
- Build organizational capacity through coaching, succession planning, leadership development, and employee engagement.
- Promote cross-functional collaboration while ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and strategic objectives.
Technical & Industry Knowledge
Strong knowledge of:
- Healthcare delivery systems and healthcare operations
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
- Health Information Exchanges (HIE)
- Healthcare interoperability standards
- HL7, FHIR, and clinical messaging
- Master Patient Index (MPI) and Master Data Management (MDM)
- Healthcare analytics and data governance
- Population health and care coordination
- Social Determinants of Health (SDoH)
- Healthcare privacy, cybersecurity, and data security
- Enterprise risk management
- Healthcare regulatory frameworks and compliance requirements
- Ability to understand and effectively communicate complex healthcare technology, data governance, interoperability, and regulatory concepts to executive leaders, clinicians, policymakers, boards, and community partners.
Leadership Competencies
- Visionary and strategic thinker with exceptional execution skills.
- Strong political acumen and executive presence.
- Outstanding networking, relationship-building, and partnership development abilities.
- Deep understanding of healthcare industry terminology, policy, and regulatory environments.
- Proven ability to synthesize complex policy, regulatory, and technical information into actionable organizational strategy.
- Exceptional communication, negotiation, and consensus-building skills.
- Strong financial and business acumen.
- Adaptability and resilience in a fast-paced, evolving healthcare environment.
- Ability to balance strategic leadership with operational execution while leading through change and organizational growth.
Qualifications
- Master's degree in Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Business Administration, Health Informatics, Information Systems, Public Administration, Information Management, or a related field preferred.
- Minimum of seven years of progressive executive leadership experience in a healthcare system, Health Information Exchange (HIE), health information technology organization, public health agency, healthcare technology company, or similarly complex healthcare environment.
- Demonstrated success leading organizational strategy, operational excellence, financial management, and enterprise growth.
- Experience working with hospitals, health systems, physician organizations, clinics, managed care organizations, government agencies, and community partners.
- Experience operating in politically complex environments requiring diplomacy, executive presence, consensus-building, and strategic relationship management.
Physical Requirements
- This position primarily operates in a professional office environment and routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.
- Frequently requires sitting or standing for extended periods.
- May occasionally require lifting and carrying materials (up to 50 lbs.) for events, programs, or office needs.
- May occasionally involve setup and breakdown of equipment in both indoor and outdoor environments.
- May occasionally require walking long distances, standing for extended periods, and working on uneven surfaces or in varying weather conditions.
- Must be able to communicate effectively in person, over the phone, and via email.
- Visual and auditory acuity are required to perform essential job functions including reading printed and digital materials and interacting with others.
- The employee may be required to move throughout the office to access equipment, files, and interact with team members.
- May occasionally be required to operate a motor vehicle safely for extended periods and must be able to sit for prolonged periods while driving.
- Visual and auditory abilities are necessary to ensure safe operation of vehicles and awareness of road conditions.
Benefits
- Medical, Dental, Vision
- Medical FSA
- Dependent Care FSA
- HSA
- 403b retirement plan
- Menu of optional benefits
San Diego Health Connect, on behalf of the controlling entity – 211 San Diego, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
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