Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. The area of consideration will be referred in the following order: 1. Current permanent Federal employees of other agencies 2. Preference eligible Veterans 3. U.S. Citizens

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Duties include, but are not limited to:

• 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, Joint Commission standards, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and other regulatory and accrediting agencies.
• Monitors systems to ensure accurate, timely, and complete health records.
• Measures ongoing intradepartmental performance by establishing priorities, collecting data, monitoring and reporting outcomes, using valid and reliable techniques to analyze trends and variation, and taking appropriate action based on findings.
• Responsible for auditing of all HIM functions and ensuring appropriate compliance.
• 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.
• Develops policies, processes, and procedures that address all VA, Federal, regulatory, and accrediting requirements for HIM.
• Develops recommendations and solutions for program improvement.
• Provides technical expertise in health records science and other very technical aspects of health information.
• Maintains all health information input into the local database and assures timely transmission of that data into all VA centralized databases.

• Recommends improvements in documentation used to provide patient care, to optimize VERA workload, third party reimbursement and to manage resources.
• Completes internal quality assurance reviews and audits to ensure employee performance meets quality and quantity standards.
• Establishes monitors to ensure the timeliness of hard-copy and/or electronic health record entries and reports findings with subsequent trending of data.
• Maintains and reports delinquent records by number, type of deficiencies and responsible provider.
• Serves as a resource for patient data on both patient-specific and aggregate databases.
• Represents HAS and the Associate Director and acts as subject matter expert at the facility-wide Health Records Committee.
• Key member of the Quality Improvement (QI) team, works closely with QI personnel, and is responsible for assuring that the facility is following all The Joint Commission and CARF standards regarding health information.
• Responsible for assuring that all patients have a complete, accurate, and timely record of their medical care at the facility.
• Responsible for leading the automation of all health information systems.
• Must support the information security program and manage much of the patient information database.
• Conducts training programs in health information management, medical terminology, health record documentation, and medico-legal matters.
• Responsible for establishing formal affiliation with university programs in health information and precepting students from such programs, if available.
• Responsible for coordinating health information training for medical school students and residents to achieve conformance with prescribed standards, if available.
• Provides direct support to Regional Counsel.
• Expected to actively participate at VA national and VISN levels as a resource person on local health information matters.
• At this level has the full complement of HIM supervisory responsibility including coding, file room, scanning, release of information, and transcription.
• Responsible for directing the operations of all personnel working within the Health Information Management program and is regularly involved in labor relations and budget management.
• Observes workers' performance; demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques and auditing.
• Provides informal feedback and periodically evaluates employee performance in VA established timelines.
• Responsible for developing emergency management service level preparedness plan for the HIM section and coordinate with VA Emergency Manager.
• Responsible for maintenance and evaluation of health records, and assuring legal requirements for care are met.
• Plays a central role in developing and coordinating internal review systems and audits to assure that both clinical and administrative activities are in compliance with agency and accrediting and regulatory requirements.

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.

• 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:

• 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:
  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
  • NOTE. HIMs Certification is required for all positions above the full performance level.

1. Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal, ethical, and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies, as they apply to health information management.
2. Skill in evaluating, developing and implementing new policies, procedures, and programs.
3. Ability to provide program oversight, including advisory and technical expertise on a range of health information management practices and guidelines to staff at various levels.
4. Ability to develop and conduct training on health information management programs, policies, procedures, and performance improvement activities.
5. Ability to effectively procure and manage HIM resources (i.e. space, staffing, education, budget, etc.).
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.
7. Customer service skills necessary to effectively communicate (written and verbal) and interact with all levels of hospital personnel, physicians, patients, and outside agencies.
8. Ability to deal effectively with sensitive and/or complex situations.

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.