Residence Requirements:

RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS: THERE ARE NO RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THIS EXAMINATION. There is one anticipated vacancy at the Erie County Medical Center Corporation.

Examples of Duties:

A Senior Laboratory Information System Specialist performs technical, administrative and supervisory duties associated with the Laboratory Information System (LIS) and related to the Hospital Information System (HIS) at the Erie County Medical Center Corporation;

Executes activities of the LIS and coordinates LIS efforts with the IT Department and the Department of Laboratory Medicine;

Develops and implements LIS policies and protocols; updates procedure manuals;

Reviews and coordinates requested changes to computer hardware and software, including software upgrades and new modules;

Arranges for emergency and preventive maintenance with the IT Department;

Performs administrative duties such as compiling and analyzing Laboratory statistics, correcting billing problems, reviewing specimen volume and charge related to laboratory test output and reviewing and updating LIS forms and ad hoc reporting writing programs;

Develops solutions to specific problem areas as assigned;

Assists in the overall LIS planning functions.

Qualifications:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Candidates must meet one of the following requirements on or before the date of the written test: 

A) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Technology or Natural Science and three (3) years of experience in the use and administration of automated information systems, one (1) year of which included supervisory (see Note 1) or administrative (see Note 2) experience; or:

B) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Computer Science and three (3) years experience in a clinical laboratory, one (1) year of which included supervisory (see Note 1) or administrative (see Note 2) experience; or:

C) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with an Associate’s Degree in Medical Technology or Natural Science and four (4) years of experience in the use and administration of automated information systems, one (1) years of which included supervisory (see Note 1) or administrative (see Note 2) experience; or:

D) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with an Associate’s Degree in Business or Computer Science and four (4) years in a clinical laboratory, one (1) year of which included supervisory (see Note 1) or administrative (see Note 2) experience; or:

E) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A), (B), (C) and (D).

Notes:

NOTES: 1. *Supervision – Responsible direction and control of subordinate employees.  This involves the assignment of work, approval of work, training, evaluation and discipline of employees.  The supervisory aspects must be an integral part of the job, not incidental or occasional.  2. **Administrative experience is defined as the responsible planning, management and control functions of an organization or organizational unit including the development and/or approval of operating policy and procedures.  3. Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting full-time experience requirements. 4. Your degree and/or college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the New York State Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. A grade of "D" or better is necessary for a course to be credited as successfully completed. If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside of the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to this Department for a list of acceptable companies providing this service; you must pay the required evaluation fee.

Notice to Candidates: Transcripts will now be accepted by the Department of Personnel ONLY at time of application.
All subsequent transcripts must be submitted at time of interview.

The New York State Department of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However,candidates may find information in the publication "How to take a written test" helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available on line at: www.cs.ny.gov/testing/localtestguides.cfm

Subjects of Examination:

SUBJECTS OF EXAMINATION: A written test designed to evaluate knowledge, skills and /or abilities in the following areas:

1. Administration

These questions test for knowledge of the managerial functions involved in directing an organization or an organizational segment. These questions cover such areas as: developing objectives and formulating policies; making decisions based on the context of the administrator's position and authority; forecasting and planning; organizing; developing personnel; coordinating and informing; guiding and leading; testing and evaluating; and budgeting.

2. Data processing concepts and terminology

These questions are designed to test for knowledge of computer characteristics and operations that is relevant for computer programming and analysis. They may cover, but not necessarily be confined to, basic terminology of data processing, data entry, data access, and data communications; basic characteristics of storage media and data bases; types of data processing (e.g., time-sharing), the functions of operating systems, and hierarchies of computer memory.

3. Preparing written material

These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

4. Supervision

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism, morale, and discipline.

5. Systems analysis and design

These questions test for techniques and concepts of computer systems analysis and design. They cover such subjects as feasibility and applications studies, systems development tools and software, the systems life cycle, types of systems (e.g., client/server, Web-based), controls, and systems documentation, testing, and implementation.

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES:  Unless otherwise noted, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand held, solar or battery powered calculators.  Devices with typewriter keyboards, "Spell Checkers", “Personal Digital Assistants", "Address Books", "Language Translators", "Dictionaries", or any similar devices are prohibited.  You may not bring books or other reference materials.

**IMPORTANT APPLICATION FEE - READ CAREFULLY**

A $20.00 filing fee is required for this exam. The required fee must accompany your application. Send or bring check or money order made payable to Erie County Personnel Department and write the examination number(s) on your check or money order. Do not send or bring cash, as the County cannot be responsible for cash payment. As no refund will be made, you are urged to compare your qualifications carefully with the requirements for admission and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified.