Meet Brandy Grice, Systems Analyst
“I always wanted to work in healthcare, and my job in information services (IS) allows me to work in the industry without being directly involved in patient care.”
What a Systems Analyst Does
Each department throughout the hospital is assigned a systems analyst to support their computer systems. I work specifically with the physician practices, supporting several hundred people. Any time something isn’t functioning properly, I work on the issue until it is resolved. In this role, I have to be aware of patient privacy guidelines and compliance rules related to healthcare. This may not be important for IS jobs in other industries but is an essential part of my job in healthcare.
WakeMed will soon transition to a systemwide electronic healthcare records solution called Epic. This new system will allow most patient information to be stored in one place instead of having many different medical records solutions in each department or physician practice throughout the hospital. All doctors and nurses will be able to see test results and other information at the touch of a button. I recently became Epic certified, and I am looking forward to working on this new system.
Typical Work Day
Each day is different, but as computer problems arise, I receive information about the problem, review the issue and work to resolve it. I am also preparing for WakeMed to transition to Epic, and I am currently in the process of meeting with managers in the physician practice offices to set up the heathcare records to meet their needs.
Why I Chose This Career
In this job, I do something different every day. I’m always learning something new and solving problems, which I enjoy. I also like communicating with people when addressing their computer issues.
The Most Rewarding Part of My Job
The best part of my job is when I get to the bottom of the issue and resolve the computer problem. When I know that the people I’m working with are able to effectively do their jobs, it’s a good feeling.
Education Background/Prior Experience
I have my associate’s degree in Physician’s Business Office. I originally worked with coding and billing at WakeMed. Three years ago I became interested in IS and moved into my current role.
School Subjects to Focus On
In this role, you work with computers all day. I suggest taking computer programming and business classes.
This profile originally ran in the News & Observer on October 15 and is part of the paper’s Newspapers in Education program.
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