Clarification from the agency

This position is only open to current permanent Ann Arbor VA employees and affiliated CBOC employees.  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 following:

• Serves as Chief of Health Information Management (CHIM) with full program responsibility for all facets of the Health Information Management (HIM) program and processes. Must ensure HIM program meets and/or exceed national HIM policies, procedures, and performance metrics. 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 (TJC) standards, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and other regulatory and accrediting agency standards.
• 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 policies, processes, and procedures that address all VA, Federal, regulatory, and accrediting requirements for HIM.
• Must provide detailed technical expertise in health records science and other very technical aspects of HIM. 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.
• Clinical support role: The incumbent is a 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, release of information, transcription/speech recognition, health information exchange, etc.
• Completes internal quality assurance reviews to ensure employee performance and that work meets quality and quantity standards. Establishes monitors to ensure the timeliness of health record entries and reports findings with subsequent trending of data.
• Health information is an integral part of TJC standards and excellent health information management is essential for the facility to maintain its standing as a fully accredited institution. All aspects of risk management depend upon health information and its documentation.
• Responsible for assuring that all patients have a complete, accurate, and timely record of their health care at the facility. Must assure that such information is appropriately stored and readily available for the provision of medical services to the patients.
• As a resource for the medical center, incumbent conducts training programs in various areas health information management, such as medical terminology, health record documentation, release of information, medico-legal matters, speech recognition/transcription, scanning, medical coding, clinical documentation improvement, and health information exchange.
• Provides direct support to Regional Counsel. As necessary, incumbent will provide consultation services to members of the Counsel's staff in areas dealing with health information. Actively participates at VA national and VISN levels as a resource person on health information matters.
• The CHIM at this level has the full complement of HIM supervisory responsibility including coding, record completion, file room, scanning, release of information, and transcription and which consists of a mixture of HT38 (675 and 669) and T5 positions.

Work Schedule: Mon - Fri 0800-1630
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 94090-0
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 identification 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 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.

a. 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).

b. 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.

c. 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.
• NOTE. See paragraph 2a above for a detailed definition of Coding Certification.
• OR, (2) HIM Certification through AHIMA.
• NOTE. See paragraph 2d above for a detailed definition of HIM Certification.
• OR,
• (3) Health Data Analyst Certification through AHIMA.
• NOTE. See paragraph 2c above for a detailed definition of Health Data Analyst Certification.
• NOTE. HIMs Certification is required for all positions above the full performance level.

d. Loss of Credential. Following initial certification, credentials must be maintained through rigorous continuing education, ensuring the highest level of competency for employers and patients. An employee in this occupation who fails to maintain the required certification must be removed from the occupation which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation for which he/she qualifies, if a placement opportunity exists.

e. 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].

[f]. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. [g].

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

Interchange Agreement: Applicants must be eligible under the VA Interchange Agreement, having served continuously for at least one year in the other merit system under this interchange agreement. For more information regarding the VA Interchange Agreement please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/competitive-hiring/.

Grade Determinations: Medical Records Administrator (Chief (CHIM), GS-13

• Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the KSAs described at that level.
• AND,
• Certification. Employees at this level must have a HIM Certification.
• AND,
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.
• 1. Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with] legal, ethical and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies, as they apply to health information management.
• 2. Ability to provide sound, technical guidance to [staff at various levels about major program, legal, or procedural changes related to health information management.
• 3. Skill in revising facility policies and] procedures to improve health information management services and to evaluate, modify, and/or adapt new methods to meet regulatory requirements.
• 4. Skill in analyzing complex data, interpreting and trending results for effective management of the HIM program.
• 5. Skill in management/administration, which includes program planning, coordination, interpretation, supervision, consultation, negotiation, problem solving, and monitoring of HIM processes.
• 6. Ability to delegate authority, evaluate and oversee people and programs, accomplish program goals, and adapt to changing priorities.

HIM Certificates: Higher-level health information management certification is limited to certification obtained through AHIMA. To be acceptable for qualifications, the specific certification must represent a comprehensive competency in the occupation.

• Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)
• Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)

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

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. The work requires no special physical demands. It may involve some walking, standing, bending, or carrying of light items.

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.