Vice Chair for Informatics and AI, Department of Radiology, Dartmouth Health

 Dartmouth Health’s Department of Radiology is seeking a Vice Chair (VC) for Informatics and AI (IAI) to join our dynamic Department in the beautiful Upper Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont. Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, the system’s central clinical hub and Academic Medical Center, is located immediately adjacent to bustling college town of Hanover, NH. Hanover is home to the world-renowned Dartmouth College and Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

We are seeking a skilled, visionary, and impactful radiologist leader to define and execute a vision for integrating cutting-edge IT and AI systems built into a dynamic Department of Radiology. Responsibilities for the role include building and executing on an overall strategy for IT systems, informatics infrastructure, and AI used by Radiologists and other radiology staff. The Radiology Vice Chair of Informatics and AI will also serve a central role at the system level by virtue of the Department generating the vast majority of medical imaging at the institution. Dartmouth Health Radiology interprets imaging from 10 hospitals and a number of out-patient imaging centers, so the reach of the Department and the VC role is wide.

We envision this Vice Chair will help build out a modern, feature-rich, world-class enterprise-wide imaging platform that transcends sites and departments. The Vice Chair will also be our point person for building and enacting strategy around the exploding world of AI in medical imaging. In total, the Vice Chair will have broad impact, with leadership responsibilities across Dartmouth Health and at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

For her or his clinical component, the Vice Chair will join a clinical section based on their subspeciality interest and preferred practice area (e.g. abdominal imaging, neuroradiology, mammography, etc).

Position Summary

The Vice Chair for Informatics and AI will be a nationally known leader in the field of imaging informatics, one capable of vision setting and execution. In addition to expertise in informatics, she or he will have a reputation for excellence in clinical care, teaching, mentoring, and scholarship.  The Vice Chair for Informatics and AI will provide the primary physician oversight (working in conjunction with our dedicated and engage technical staff) of our fleet of IT software and hardware that supports the Department. By virtue of the broad role software plays in our Department, the VC role supports the three core pillars of this mission-driven department:

Clinical Excellence:

The clinical mission is served by having an updated, modern, and feature-rich PACS. We have a speedy and stable PACS, but are looking to contract for an updated, enterprise-wide, feature-rich PACS that will serve radiology and other Departments for the foreseeable future. We read for 10 hospitals and countless imaging sites, so the new PACS selected will be widely deployed. The clinical mission also requires a cutting-edge dictation and reporting system. We are in the middle stages of updating this software package. In both cases, leadership from a skilled Vice Chair of Informatics and AI is sought to guide this process to an optimal outcome. We currently have AI algorithms deployed, but in this rapidly changing landscape, developing a proactive strategy to remain on the cutting edge would be in the purview of this position. In addition, countless smaller stand-alone software packages are deployed at any given time; the VC for IAI would have responsibility as the chief physician focused on informatics.

Educational Excellence

The Dartmouth Health Department of Radiology is a national leader in teaching radiology to medical students, with numerous nationally and internationally recognized educators and extensive dissemination of scholarly work pertaining educational techniques and novel programs.  Dartmouth Radiology hosts multiple outstanding residencies, including in Diagnostic Radiology and an integrated DR/IR program, as well as multiple fellowships. Our students, residents, and fellows need to be facile with understanding the role and functions of IT systems. These learners also need to be equipped for practicing in a world filled with AI. We would look to the VC of IAI to be our preeminent expert in these areas and would ask this role to oversee building a curriculum for various learner groups, as appropriate.

A world-class teaching file is immensely helpful in academic departments, helping faculty as they create teaching resources and helping learners who are seeking out interesting cases; we have systems in place to curate teaching cases, though growth and improvements in these systems would be helpful.

Supporting Scholarship

IT systems are critical for the successful implementation of research programs. While research is under the purview of the Vice Chair for Research and individual investigators, and the VC of Informatics and AI would be instrumental in ensuring we have the software tools needed by investigators .

We envision that the VC for IAI would also build a program of scholarship around research in informatics and AI itself. AI in particular is a field replete with research opportunities. Our faculty and learners are keen to engage in research in this growing field and the VC for IAI, as a content expert, would be essential in helping us build that research program.

Opportunities for scholarship abound at Dartmouth Health and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.   As a national leader in serving populations across a wide geographic area, there are ample opportunities to publish and speak on the innovative programs and cutting-edge work occurring at Dartmouth Health. In particular, the application of advanced imaging techniques and the creation of innovative outreach efforts offer fertile ground for scholarship. Collaboration with other productive researchers inside and outside the department is an immense opportunity.

Mentorship and Scholarship is important to the Department. Enlisting students, residents, and fellows in academic endeavors is highly encouraged.

Reporting Structure

The Vice Chair for Informatics and AI will report directly to Chair of Radiology (who is also the Vice President of the Radiology Service Line for Dartmouth Health).  The Vice Chair will have a home section (and section head) for clinical work. In the areas under the Vice Chair’s purview, the VC will oversee physicians participating in the projects and initiatives.

Overall, the VC should have the ability to engage and inspire others, including physician colleagues, department staff, and others throughout the institution. The Department values patient-centered care and a highly collaborative, respectful, caring, and engaging work environment. There is a strong working relationship with other Departments and the section participates in multidisciplinary meetings.

The Department and Dartmouth Health

The selected candidate will join Dartmouth Health’s 99 radiologists. We are an internationally known Department with a deep history in the field, beginning with acquiring the first clinical x-ray in the United States in 1896. Since then, we have continued an upward trajectory growing in breadth and expanding our services across New England.

While Dartmouth Health includes many hospitals and clinic sites, this position is based at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, our tertiary care central hub which also serves as the system’s Academic Medical Center. DHMC is the state’s only Level 1 trauma center, a certified Comprehensive Stroke Center, and is home to a fleet of helicopter and ground-based medical transport services.

Dartmouth Health maintains a total of 802 beds, with 458 located at DHMC. Our extensive network handles over 3 million outpatient visits annually, supported by a dedicated team of 15,000 employees and more than 2,300 employed providers. Our commitment to the community is reflected in our contributions, with over $345 million in community benefits and $16 million in charity care. These numbers underscore our role as a leading healthcare provider, committed to both clinical excellence and community support.

Benefits:

• For a 1.0 Full-Time Equivalent position, the annual salary range is $578,000 to $606,000, depending on experience and qualifications.
• This position includes a comprehensive benefits package (medical, dental, vision, retirement, time off, and CME support).
• A sign-on bonus and a relocation stipend may also be available, subject to eligibility.
• Generous retirement programs with institutional-contributions (above and beyond salary) and a matching program.
• Income goes further here: New Hampshire is an income tax-free state. New Hampshire also has no sales tax on purchases, both small and large.
• Incredible department culture which is respectful, transparent, communicative, supportive, optimistic, constructive, and engaged. We value our sense of community and our connection to each other, our trainees, our technical staff colleagues, and our referring providers.

Our Region:

Nestled within the stunning New England landscape, the Department of Radiology is based at Dartmouth Health’s main hospital in Lebanon, New Hampshire. This region offers an exceptional blend of outdoor charm, cultural depth, and modern convenience. This picturesque area provides easy access to the Atlantic seacoast and a wealth of outdoor activities, all while being immediately adjacent to the cultural richness of Dartmouth College. Major cities like Boston, Montreal, and New York are within a short drive, and regional airports in Lebanon, Burlington, Manchester, and Boston ensure seamless travel for both national and international adventures. The options for regional day trips are nearly endless and there are countless opportunities to enjoy four seasons, New England architecture, local festivals, theater, performances, gatherings, and an inspiring culinary scene. We prioritize a harmonious balance between income and lifestyle, fostering a caring, family-like environment for our team. Long-standing physicians often describe their experience here as rewarding, appreciating the opportunity to build a life and raise their families in a safe community with highly ranked public and private schools. Join us and discover a place where professional fulfillment meets personal well-being.

Requirements:

•  American Board of Radiology Certified in Diagnostic Radiology
• Must obtain and maintain a medical license in both New Hampshire and Vermont
• Fellowship training and/or experience in IT, informatics, and/or AI
• The ability to be appointed at the Assistant, Associate, or full Professor rank, depending on experience, with a preference for candidates at the Associate or Full Professor rank.
• This is a 1.0 FTE position.

Experience:

• Demonstrated success within an academically oriented radiology department with a personal history of academic excellence.
• A track record of delivering strong results in mission-driven organizations.
• Proven ability to mentor and sponsor others.
• A strong commitment to contribute a to a department-wide culture of respect, transparency, communication, optimism, collaboration, engagement, and caring. We value our sense of community and our connection to each other, including with our trainees, our technical staff colleagues, and our referring providers. Leaders in our Department serve as role models and are viewed as change agents towards building a just and caring culture.  
• Participation in national societies and organizations preferred. Experience in local, national, or international speaking/teaching is preferred.

To learn more, please visit: www.DHproviders.org

Cover Letters should be addressed to:

David M. Naeger, MD FACR FAAR - Chair, Department of Radiology

CV and cover letter to be sent to: 

Caitlin Vecchio, MBA, CPRP-DEI  - Caitlin.A.Vecchio.Taylor@Hitchcock.org

Hear from our Chief of Radiology in his own words.