Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This job is open to current permanent VA Nationwide employees, Federal employees of other Agencies and U.S. Citizens.

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The duties of the Medical Records Administration Specialist include, but are not limited to:

• Assists the Chief, Health Information Management (CHIM) or designee 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 standards, VA regulations and medico-legal requirements; current Federal Codes pertinent to medical records; Veterans Administration policy memoranda, directives and handbooks pertinent to health information management; ICD-CM coding principles and nomenclature and the MS-DRG system; CPT and E&M rules; medical and procedural terminology; anatomy and physiology, regulations governing confidentiality of medical records; release of information laws and statutes; and any policies pertaining to VA medical records.
• Provides training for HIM, clinical and administrative staff on HIM topics. Designs and performs quality improvement projects regarding HIM issues. Assists the CHIM or designee in preparing 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 data exchange. Keeps HIM and clinical staff abreast of changing technology in electronic systems used to collect, process, code, protect and store health information and provides education and training as necessary.
• Collaboratively works with clinical staff to provide support and education on coding issues. Provides training and education to clinical staff. Performs audits and analyses of noncompliance in coding, preparing and presenting findings and recommendations to the CHIM, Service Line Leaders and medical staff. Provide consultation related to coding and documentation questions. Facilitate improved overall quality, completeness, and accuracy of coded data.
• Reviews, analyzes and reports HIM performance monitors. Advises clinical staff relating to methodologies of retrieving health care data for specific studies. Performs data retrieval for special studies as needed.
• Maintains statistical database(s) to track the results and validate the program for identifying patterns and variations in coding practices with regular reports to the medical staff and management.
• Applies guidelines specific to certain diagnoses, procedures, and other criteria used to classify patients under the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation (VERA) program that categorizes all VA patients into specific classes representing their clinical conditions and resource needs. Compiles, reviews, abstracts, analyzes, and interprets medical/legal data incidental to a variety of patient care and treatment activities.
• 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 COTS software related to HIM to provide technical assistance to HIM staff (e.g., coding, ROI and dictation software).
• Serves as a point of contact for medical 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.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Subject to change based on the needs of the facility.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 586-0063-F; 586-0064-F; 586-0065-F; 586-00636-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• 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.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

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.
• English Language Proficiency. Medical Records Administration Specialists must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Education or Experience.
  • (1) 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,
  • (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.

Grade Determinations:
Medical Records Administration Specialist, GS-5. None beyond basic requirements.

Medical Records Administration Specialist,GS-7:
(a) Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
OR,
(b) Education. (Advanced Entry-Level Placement). Applicants who meet the GS-5 grade level may be appointed at the GS-7 grade level, if they possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a major field of study in health information management, with an exemplary academic record as demonstrated by:
i. A 3.0 or higher-grade point average (GPA) out of a possible 4.0 GPA ("B" or better), as recorded on their official transcript or as computed based on four years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum;or,
ii. A 3.5 GPA or higher out of a possible 4.0 GPA ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field of study, or the required courses completed in the major field of study during the final two years of the curriculum.
AND,(c)
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
i. Knowledge of current classification systems, such as International Classification of Diseases, Current Procedural Terminology, and the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS).
ii. Ability to effectively communicate (written and verbal) with medical center staff, patients, and external entities.
iii. Ability to use data collection and analytical techniques for purposes of review, quality control, studies and analysis of health information.
iv. Ability to utilize computer applications with varied functions to produce a wide range of reports, to abstract records, collect and analyze data and present results in various formats.
v. Ability to work independently, adapt to shifting priorities, and meet deadlines.

Medical Records Administration Specialist, GS-9.
(a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics described at that level.
OR,
(b) Education. Education equivalent to two full years of progressively higher level graduate education or a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited college or university in a field directly related to health information management.
AND,
(c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.
i. Knowledge of medical and legal requirements related to health information management and health records.
ii. Ability to provide technical advice and guidance on health information management practices.
iii. Skill in extracting data from various sources and analyzing health information to create reports.
iv. Skill in researching, interpreting, and applying health information management guidelines.
v. Knowledge of performance and process improvement techniques to develop new or improved solutions in health information management,

Medical Records Administration Specialist, GS-11.
(a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates all of the KSAs described at that level. OR,
(b) 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,
(c) 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.

Preferred Experience: N/A

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05 to GS-11.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

How you will be evaluated

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

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

1. Current permanent VA employees of the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center
2. All other VA employees.
3. Current Permanent Federal employees of other agencies.
4. All other applicants.

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.