Clarification from the agency

This position is open to Washington DC VA Medical Center Business Office Service Line and Health Information Management Section Employees Only!

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Major Duties:
Assists the Chief, Health Information Management (CHIM) and the HIM Department in identifying and setting short- and long-range goals, program objectives and tasks to meet the mission and vision of the VAMC.

Provides subject matter expertise to Service Line Leaders, and medical center staff. Interprets and applies The Joint Commission (TJC) standards, VA regulations and medico-legal requirements; current Federal Codes pertinent to health records; Veterans Administration policy memoranda, directives and handbooks pertinent to health information management; medical coding (ICD, CPT, HCPCS) and reimbursement methodologies; medical and procedural terminology; anatomy and physiology, regulations governing confidentiality of health records; release of information laws and statutes; and all policies/procedures pertaining to VHA health records.

Provides training for HIM, clinical and administrative staff on HIM topics. Designs and performs quality improvement projects regarding HIM issues. Assists the CHIM in preparing and conducting various presentations.

Keeps current on emerging issues and trends in the health information management field, including process improvement initiatives for HIM, the electronic health record, coding and computer assisted coding, the revenue cycle, release of information and privacy issues, records management, transcription and data entry, and health information exchange. Keeps HIM and clinical staff abreast of changing technology in electronic systems used to collect, process, code, protect and store health information.

Performs audits and analyses, preparing and presenting findings and recommendations to the CHIM, Service Line Leaders and medical staff. Reviews, analyzes and reports HIM performance monitors. Advises Principal Investigators and other clinical staff relating to methodologies of retrieving health care data for specific studies. Performs data retrieval for special studies as needed Participates in various VAMC, VISN and national committees requiring health information management subject matter expertise.

May review and test HIM related VistA software patches; test and trouble-shooting VistA menu options and functional issues when HIM users report application errors; perform equipment needs analysis for new or replacement equipment and/or equipment repair; submit work orders or Remedy tickets for correction to HIM software errors. Is the facility expert for software and computer applications related to HIM to provide technical assistance to HIM staff (e.g., coding, ROI, dictation, and speech recognition software).

Serves as the point of contact for health record corrections. Documentation corrections may consist of retracting erroneous notes, re-titling notes, assigning notes to or removing from consult requests. Problem solves improperly identified documents with clinicians, Clinical Applications Coordinators (CACs) and others who report problems. Reassigns, rescinds and removes documents when they have been entered or uploaded incorrectly.

Establishes criteria and provides education when dealing directly with physicians, nurses and other clinical providers requesting them to complete or adjust pertinent parts of the health records, which are found to be inconsistent or incomplete upon analysis. Assists and provides guidance to supporting clinical services to capture required medical information on patients for computer database input. Selects, compiles and trends medical, surgical and statistical data from numerous components of the health record. Retrieves diagnostic and statistical data for various reports required locally or by VISN or VHA Central Office.

May assign User Classes to users at the request of the Chief HIM; responds to questions or issues related to that user class. Reviews requests for new templates or additions/correction to existing templates. Reviews requests for paper forms, creating electronic versions of these forms so that they are always available to users by computer

Other Duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 6:00 am to 2:30 pm
Telework: Not applicable, this is a remote position.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience. Three years of creditable experience in the field of medical records that included the preparation, maintenance, and management of health records and health information systems [demonstrating a knowledge of medical terminology, medical records procedures, medical coding, or medical, administrative, and legal requirements of health care delivery systems. OR,
• Education. Successful completion of a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, with a major field of study in health information management, or a related degree with a minimum of 24 semester hours in health information management or health information technology. OR,
• Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education that equals 100 percent may be used to meet basic requirements. For example, two years above high school from an accredited college or university, with 12 semester hours in health information technology/health information management, plus one year and six months of creditable experience that included the preparation, maintenance, and management of health records and health information systems meets an equivalent combination.
• Certification. Persons hired or reassigned to MRA positions in the GS-0669 series in VHA must meet one of the following:
• Coding Certification through AHIMA or AAPC. OR
• HIM Certification through AHIMA. OR,
• Health Data Analyst Certification through AHIMA.

NOTE. HIMs Certification is required for all positions above the full performance level.

English Language Proficiency. MRAs must be proficient in spoken and written English. See 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as an MRA are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, including positive education, and [registration and/or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

1. Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to, and including, the full performance journeyman level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
2. Employees who were appointed on a temporary basis, prior to the effective date of the qualification standard, may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
3. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/registration/certification, and meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
4. MRAs who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry, as a medical records administrator.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Medical Records Administration Specialist, GS-11

Experience. . One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-9 that demonstrates all of the KSAs described at that level. OR,

Education. Education equivalent to three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited university or college in the field of health information management.

AND

Demonstrated Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities:
i. Skill in performance and process improvement techniques to develop and implement new or improved solutions in health information management.
ii. Ability to advise management and staff, at various levels, regarding health record documentation requirements and health information management practices based on current industry standards, policies, statues, laws, and regulations.
iii. Ability to plan, justify, develop, evaluate, assess, monitor, and advise on current health information management processes and recommend changes in policies or procedures.
iv. Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal, ethical, and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies, as they apply to health information management.
v. Ability to acquire, manage, analyze, interpret, and transform data into accurate, consistent, and meaningful information.

Assignments. This is considered the full performance level for MRA positions (MRA/HIM Specialist). MRAs work independently in day-to-day assignments. They perform data mining; complex data analysis; and interpret and transform data into accurate, consistent, and timely information in support of the business and operational needs of the HIM department and the organization. They present findings and recommendations to the Chief of HIM (CHIM) and facility leadership. MRAs perform workflow analyses, recommend process improvements, identify and implement best practices, and implement changes as needed to improve the productivity and quality controls of the HIM department. They prepare workload and production reports, monitor trends to identify efficiencies and outliers, and recommend appropriate actions which may involve collaborating with staff at all levels for resolution. The MRA designs and performs quality improvement projects related to health information management to identify and recommend ways of eliminating, combining, simplifying or improving procedures and processes. They compile diagnostic, procedural, and statistical data, and present reports locally, regionally, or nationally. MRAs lead various health record review activities. They participate in various facility, regional, and/or national committees requiring health information management subject matter expertise. The MRA exhibits broad organizational knowledge, communicates and provides training and education to individuals and groups, at multiple levels, both internal and external to the facility

References: VA Handbook 5005/130 Part II Appendix G33

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.