February 10, 2025
A career in health care was not always the goal for Justin McAuliffe. Growing up in Tokyo, Japan, McAuliffe moved to the United States to pursue a degree in economics at the University of Santa Clara in California. After graduation, like many young professionals, he found himself uncertain about his next steps.
McAuliffe accepted the first job offer that came his way, starting as a technical recruiter in San Francisco, but it became clear that while he appreciated the role, it wasn’t quite the right fit for him. He realized he was seeking a different sense of purpose that would provide him with a more direct lens into the impact of his work on others.
During a quick online scroll, McAuliffe stumbled across an opportunity that would shift his career path: an internship through an OCHIN+ learning and workforce program with the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI). The HCAI program is one of several grant-funded and non-grant opportunities available through OCHIN+, offering training and pathways into community health care. While McAuliffe had already earned his degree, these programs are open to anyone looking to gain access to new career opportunities or advance their current ones, regardless of whether they have a college degree.
“I did some research, and the first place I found was OCHIN’s website. I quickly realized it was a well-known nonprofit in the health care industry with meaningful opportunities. So, I applied, went through the process, and started an internship,” McAuliffe recalled.
With his economics background and interest in analytics, this internship kick-started his career as an electronic health record support analyst (ESA), someone who manages and optimizes electronic health record (EHR) systems to improve patient care and streamline health care operations. He has since been working at the San Francisco Free Clinic (SFFC), part of the San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium (SFCCC), where McAuliffe was hired after completing an externship following his OCHIN+ internship and training.
Rebuilding California’s health care IT workforce
The HCAI program launched in 2023 with a four-year grant funded by the state of California. The program aims to address staffing shortages and improve access to comprehensive patient care by training a skilled workforce to step into key roles, including EHR support, health information management, and medical billing and coding.
Since its launch, the program has trained 164 individuals and successfully placed them in positions at OCHIN network clinics and other health centers across California. McAuliffe’s story reflects how this initiative is empowering learners through structured training, mentorship, and hands-on experience, helping them make a meaningful contribution to the health care field.
OCHIN+ also offers an ESA training program funded by the United States Department of Labor, a program for community health workers funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and an expanding range of online training courses and certifications. In 2024, the program had a significant impact, with 142 learners completing training and entering the workforce.
“These partnerships have allowed us the opportunity to give learners hands-on experience in their chosen track—whether that’s medical billing and coding, health information management, or our EHR support analyst role,” said Marlegny Mourino, workforce supervisor at OCHIN. “Since the inception of workforce development, we have worked with over 200 learners across multiple grants and states. We can’t do what we do without our OCHIN members and partners to continue to grow and help our communities.”
The HCAI program is just one example of how OCHIN+ initiatives are rebuilding California’s health care IT workforce. Beyond training learners like McAuliffe, these programs foster critical connections between workforce development and community health needs.
Building community and workforce connections to enhance health care outcomes
OCHIN member SFCCC, where McAuliffe now works as an ESA, and its 12 community health centers provide primary, preventive, and ambulatory care in the San Francisco area. Their services also include behavioral health, dental and vision care, health promotion and disease prevention education.
“Being placed at a nonprofit like SFCCC allowed me to see so much. I wasn’t just doing IT—I also got to learn about advocacy, grant work, and how clinics connect with their community,” McAuliffe said.
“I’m not a doctor, but I see the process of patient care and how everyone works to support it. It’s made me see health care in a new light.”
ESAs like McAuliffe are instrumental in helping providers identify and address gaps in care. By providing clinics with essential data tools, such as dashboards and integrated referral systems, ESAs help maintain progress and improve follow-through on referrals to continue enhancing patient care.
“I was able to create dashboards for annual Uniform Data System (UDS) reports and learn how to manage a Structured Query Language (SQL) database. Those are one of my favorite projects, seeing how impactful my work was for patients and the team,” McAuliffe said.
McAuliffe also worked closely with other staff at SFCCC, who provided additional training and support when starting his full-time position at SFFC after completing the program.
”I can confidently say that the program has been instrumental in nurturing talents like Justin, and we are grateful for the positive impact it has had on our organization. His story is a shining example of the success that can be achieved through the OCHIN+ Workforce Program,” said Jonathan Howell, director of information systems at SFCCC.
“His externship with the SFCCC was a testament to his hard work, and he seamlessly transitioned into his role at the SFFC as an ESA. His contributions have been invaluable, and his commitment to our mission is truly inspiring.”
Leading with purpose for greater impact
The HCAI program provided McAuliffe with the foundation to enter the health care field, where he has found both career advancement opportunities and the chance to make a lasting impact alongside others who share a commitment to serving their communities.
He credits the program, along with the mentorship from his instructors and staff at OCHIN and individuals at SFCCC and SFFC, as key factors in his success as an ESA. McAuliffe encourages others with a passion for technology looking into a career in health care to consider the program.
“This program was a steppingstone. I don’t think I would have entered health care without it. It gave me that one opportunity to prove myself and grow,” McAuliffe said.
For more information about the OCHIN+ HCAI program, visit the California Department of Health Care Access and Information Program (HCAI) | OCHIN+ website.
We acknowledge that this program is made possible through the coordination of and funding from the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI).
