****This announcement has been amended. Applicants who have already applied need not apply again.***
***RECRUITMENT/RELOCATION MAYBE AUTHORIZED ***

This position is full time permanent and serves as the Chief of the Health Information Management Section (HIMS) of Health Administration Service (HAS),George H OBrien Jr VA Medical Center , Big Spring, Texas. Incumbent is supervised by the Assistant Chief/Chief of HAS. The incumbent is responsible for providing professional consultation, administrative assistance and health record support to the facility. HIMS is responsible for a wide range of duties including, but not limited to: providing assistant to other medical centers and system staff; implementing and supporting organization-wide privacy and confidentiality; facility and professional fee coding; medical record review and record processing; medical record file units and document scanning; release of information; transcription; and ward administration. The incumbent provides supervision of these processes to ensure smooth operation of a customer-focused department. Incumbent is responsible for a wide range of duties including, but not limited to: Providing subject matter expertise to managers regarding HIMS processes; provides training for HIMS staff; performs audits and analyzes data to identify trends; participates in various facility, VISN and national committees; may act as alternate FOIA and Privacy Officer; develops policies and procedures; and performs a wide range of human resources functions as they pertain to supervision. Incumbent is responsible for developing and implementing goals, program objectives, and tasks to meet the mission and vision of the facility. In addition to other duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Although workload/training may require occasional work/travel beyond this schedule.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Physical Requirements: Work is principally sedentary, however some slight physical effort maybe necessary.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship.
• Proficient in spoken and written English.
• Candidates must have three years of experience in the field of medical records that included the preparation, maintenance, and management of medical records and health information systems OR an associate's degree in the health information filed plus one year of experience that included the preparation, maintenance, and management of medical records and health information systems; OR education equivalent to a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college; OR equivalent combinations of experience and education may be used to meet basic requirements.

Grade Requirements: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above you must have at leave one year of experience at the next lower grade level (GS-11) that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics of this position.

Candidates must be able to meet the following KSAs (knowledge, skills, and abilities) and demonstrate the potential to acquire the KSAs indicated by an asterisk: 1) Ability to identify, define, and resolve managerial, administrative, and computerized medical record problems associated with unique, underdeveloped, and controversial aspects of medical record management; *2) Skill in developing new policies and procedures for administering electronic medical record programs in order to improve program effectiveness and/or apply newly developed programs or theories to problems that require new approaches; 3) Ability to understand computerized patient record data systems that are meaningful to the medical center as a whole; *4) Ability to teach new and continuing users in electronic health record and health data systems as appropriate to the current assignment; *5) If supervisory, ability to manage assigned resources; and *6) If the position is supervisory in nature, the ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties which would include assignment of work; completing performance evaluations; selection of staff; and recommendation of awards, advancements, and, when appropriate, disciplinary actions.

Preferred Experience: Highly qualified candidates will be those with supervisory experience appointed in the 0669 series.

To be creditable, experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current health information practice. This knowledge may be evidenced by one or more of the following: 1. The equivalent of 1 year of active practice in the health information management field that included knowledge of the content and uses of health records, computerized information systems, and disease and procedural indices; ability to apply the concepts, principles and practices of health information administration; ability to apply knowledge of anatomy, pathophysiology, and medical terminology to health information management functions; OR 2. Maintenance/possession of an active credential from AHIMA as a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) or Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT); OR 3. Successful completion of academic course work leading to an advanced degree in health information management or a related field.
Experience is only creditable if it is in health information management and is directly related to the position to be filled or in a related field, such as quality assurance, Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy, or electronic medical record implementation. Qualifying experience must also be at a level and complexity comparable to medical record management experience at the next lower grade level. Registration is offered by AHIMA as a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) or Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and is highly desirable.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G33.

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.

NOTE: The Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will review the selected candidate's education and experience and recommend the grade and salary at which the candidate will be placed. For internal selectees eligible for promotion, the board will determine grade and HR will determine step in accordance with policy.

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.