Clarification from the agency

Open to current, permanent federal employees of the VA Healthcare system. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Duties include but are not limited to:

• The incumbent serves as the Assistant Chief of Health Information Management (ACHIM) in a medical facility of high complexity (level 1), with responsibility for the supervision of all HIM functions.
• Incumbent is charged with full responsibility, both technical and administrative, for the daily operation of the HIM department which consists of all functions of health record activities related to medical coding, clinical documentation integrity, health record documentation analysis, transcription/speech recognition, release of information, file room, scanning and indexing, and health information exchange.
• Provides expertise, guidance, direction, and has responsibilities relative to providing supervision, administrative support, coordination, and technical assistance in the planning, development and maintenance of an effective, comprehensive, and integrated HIM Program at this Medical Center.
• The incumbent shares responsibility with the CHIM for collecting and processing data for various reports, surveys, and research projects; for preparing reports and making recommendations for review and consideration by the Chief, Chief, HAS and upper management concerning the immediate needs as well as the long term goals of the HIM department; for recommending equipment and staffing needs; and for preparing and updating policies, standard operating procedures, and training guides.
• Responsible for assisting physicians and other health professionals in obtaining health record information to be used in research projects. Advises on what data is available, how it may be obtained, and the uses that can be made of the information while protecting the confidentiality of the record.
• The incumbent aids in a variety of projects and is responsible for screening, abstracting and tallying data from health records and computer-generated reports.
• Serves as a consultant providing guidance and advising researchers on methods for gathering health information and health record data.
• Assists in retrospective health record review/data abstraction projects to support medical center Quality Management data collection activities.
• Consistently conducts audits and monitors for all areas of responsibility, ensuring accurate and timely data is processed by all employees.
• Ensures that health record review activities are consistent with the requirements established by VHA handbooks, program guides, fact sheets, and directives, and are in compliance with TJC standards and Scoring Guidelines, CARF, Behavioral Health, and the Office of Inspector General (OIG).

This is a temporary detail/promotion not to exceed 120 days.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday from 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000/Medical Records Administrator (Assistant Chief (ACHIM))

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.

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

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

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 on the effective date of May 28, 2020. 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:
GS-12
Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11).
AND
Certification: Must posses a HIIM certification through AHIMA.
AND
Applicant must meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below:
1. Skill in managing various projects and processes, which includes the ability to develop new or improved solutions to complex technical problems in health information management.
2. Ability to advise management and staff [on a wide range of] health information management practices based on current industry standards, policies, statutes, laws, and regulations.
3. Ability to plan, justify, develop, evaluate, assess, monitor, and/or advise on current health information management processes, and recommend changes in policies or procedures.
4. Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal, ethical, and regulatory guidelines, and accrediting bodies as they apply to health information management.
5. Ability to successfully apply principles and techniques of sound resource management (i.e., staffing, space, contracts, equipment).
6. Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties to include assignment of work, completing performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ Part II Appendix G33 Medical Records Administrator/Medical Records GS-0669-12.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Mostly sedentary work requiring use of computer.

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.