Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Open to Current, Permanent Milwaukee VA Employees (Including CBOC's & VCS)

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This position serves as the Supervisory MRA (Chief, Health Information Management (HIM)) of the Medical Information Systems Division at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center. Supervisory Medical Record Administrators at this grade level are Chiefs of HIM in VA Medical Centers that are the highest complexity level category for VHA facilities, and which are affiliated, tertiary care facility/health care system with comprehensive research programs and thus warrant an expanded senior leadership team. MRAs in this assignment provide technical advice, planning, and evaluation about health information management issues impacting the overall program on a regular and recurring basis. The MRA is the highest level professional position at the facility with responsibility for the management and direction of the health information management program and services.

The Clement J Zablocki VA Medical Center, a complex, tertiary care, 1A facility, is an integrated health care delivery system offering a comprehensive array of medical, surgical, rehabilitative, primary care, mental health and extended care, including domiciliary-based programs. The VAMC supports four (4) Community Based Outpatient Clinics and is affiliated with the Medical College of Wisconsin, Marquette University Dental School, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Waukesha County Technical College and other allied health programs. The Milwaukee VAMC also has an extremely active Research Program.

Major Duties:

• Responsible for the administrative management of health records, which includes planning, managing, advising, and directing the health information program in accordance with applicable Federal laws, facility by-laws, VHA policy, The Joint Commission standards, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and other regulatory and accrediting agencies.
• Creates and monitors systems to ensure accurate, timely, and complete health records, in accordance with VHA policy and The Joint Commission health information protocols.
• Responsible for all facets of health records management for the facility ensuring maintenance of complete, accurate, timely, clinically-pertinent, and readily-accessible patient health records, which contain sufficient recorded information to serve as a basis to plan patient care, support diagnoses, warrant treatment, measure outcomes, support education, research, and facilitate performance improvement processes and legal requirements.
• Develops recommendations and solutions for program improvement.
• Must provide detailed technical expertise in health records science and other very technical aspects of health information.
• Maintains all health information input into the local VistA database and assures timely transmission of that data into all VA centralized databases - most frequently those maintained at the Austin Data Processing Center.
• Key advisor to the Chief of Staff, Executive Management, and clinicians and is responsible for providing technical guidance on health information issues such as documentation requirements, liability issues, advance directives, informed consent, patient privacy and confidentiality, etc.
• Responsible for assuring that all patients have a complete, accurate, and timely record of their medical care at the facility.
• Conducts training programs in health information management, medical terminology, health record documentation, and medico-legal matters.
• The CHIM at this level has the full complement of HIM supervisory responsibility including coding, file room, scanning, release of information, and transcription and which consists of a mixture of HT38 (675 and 669) and T5 positions.
• Responsible for directing the operations of all personnel working within the Health Information program and is regularly involved in labor relations and budget management.
• Directly responsible to the Medical Information Systems Division Manager who gives general objectives. Incumbent exercises independent judgment in carrying out duties and responsibilities and has complete authority to plan, design and direct the HIM program; recommendations and/or technical decisions made by employee are not reviewed.
• recognized as the authority in all matters pertaining to health information issues.

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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

Citizenship:
Candidates must be a citizen] of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).

Education or Experience:
(1) Experience: Three years of creditable experience in the field of medical records that included the preparation, maintenance, andmanagement 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
(2) 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
(3) 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:
1. Coding Certification through AHIMA or AAPC
OR
2. HIM Certification through AHIMA.
OR
3.Health Data Analyst Certification through AHIMA.

In addition to the Basic Requirements above, applicants must meet the following GRADE REQUIREMENTS.

GS-13 GRADE REQUIREMENTS
Specialized Experience: Must have at least one (1) full year of creditable experience at the next lower level (GS-12) or equivalent, which is directly related to the Supervisory Medical Records Administrator position. Specialized experience includes, but is not limited to:

• Possessing full program management and supervisory responsibility to direct professional (MRA), technical (MRT), and other support staff in medical health information work.
• Providing technical advice, planning, and evaluation about health information management issues impacting the overall program on a regular and recurring basis.
• Possessing responsibility for the management and direction of the health information management program and services.

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, resume, 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.