Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent VA Nationwide employees, Federal employees of other Agencies, and U.S. Citizens 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:

• 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.
• Creates and monitors systems to ensure accurate, timely, and complete health records, in accordance with VHA policy and TJC health information protocols.
• 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 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 and facilitate performance improvement processes and legal requirements.
• Develop policies, processes, and procedures that address all VA, Federal, regulatory, and accrediting requirements for HIM.
• Develop recommendations and solutions for program improvement and implements innovative solutions to correct technical, complex problems.
• 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.
• Ensure that all health information that is coded and abstracted meets the requirements of the VA and/or TJC and is consistent with professional health records standards.
• 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.
• Recommends improvements in health record documentation used to provide patient care, to optimize VERA workload, third party reimbursement and to manage resources.
• Represents MAS/HIM and acts as subject matter expert at the facility-wide Health Records Committee.
• Advises the committee on health record issues; including VA requirements, TJC standards, record retrieval processes, health record components, systems, goals, electronic records, etc.
• Key member of the Quality Improvement (QI) team, works closely with QI personnel, and is responsible for assuring that the facility is compliant with all TJC standards regarding health information.
• Responsible for assuring that all patients have a complete, accurate, and timely record of their health care at the facility.
• Support the information security program and manage much of the patient information database within VistA.
• Conducts training programs in various areas of 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.
• Responsible for establishing formal affiliation with university programs in health information and precepting students from such programs to include coordinating health information training for medical school students and residents to achieve conformance with prescribed standards.
• Provide consultation services to members of the Counsel's staff in areas dealing with health information.
• Actively participates at national and VISN levels as a resource person on health information matters and research activities related to health information and electronic health record (EHR) issues.
• Responsible for directing the operations of all personnel working within the HIM program and is regularly involved in labor relations and budget management.
• Collaborates with Human Resources to review and approve all HIM recruitment actions and vacancy announcements.
• Performs the administrative and personnel management functions relative to staff supervised.
• Establish guidelines and performance expectations for staff, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system.

Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday, subject to change based on the needs of the facility.
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00212F
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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Must be able to independently operate Government Vehicle.
  Must provide clean driving record report from the DMV during the pre-employment process.
• 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.
• 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.NOTE. Coding Certification. Mastery certification obtained through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) or the American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC). To be acceptable for qualification, the specific certification must represent a comprehensive competency in the occupation. Stand-alone specialty certifications do not meet the definition of mastery level coding certification and are not acceptable for qualifications. Certification titles may change and certifications that meet the definition of mastery level coding certification may be added/removed by the above certifying bodies; however, current mastery level coding certifications include: Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) - Physician-based (CCS-P), Certified Professional Coder (CPC), Certified Outpatient Coder (COC), and Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC).OR,
  • (2) HIM Certification through AHIMA.NOTE. Health Information Management (HIM) Certification. 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. Certification titles may change and certifications that meet the definition of HIM certification may be added/removed by the above certifying body; however, current HIM certifications include Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA).OR,
  • (3) Health Data Analyst Certification through AHIMA.NOTE. Health Data Analyst Certification. This is limited to certification obtained through AHIMA. To be acceptable for qualifications, the specific certification must certify mastery in health data analysis. Certification titles may change and certifications that meet the definition of health data analyst certification may be added/removed by the above certifying body; however, current health data analyst certification includes Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA).Certification.
  • NOTE. HIMs Certification is required for all positions above the full performance level

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:
Medical Records Administrator (Chief (CHIM)) GS-12
(a)Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the KSAs described at that level.
AND
(b)Certification. Employees at this level must have a HIM Certification.
NOTE. Health Information Management (HIM) Certification. 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. Certification titles may change and certifications that meet the definition of HIM certification may be added/removed by the above certifying body; however, current HIM certifications include Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA).
AND
(c)Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
i. Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal, ethical, and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies, as they apply to health information management.
ii. Skill in evaluating, developing and implementing new policies, procedures, and programs.
iii. 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.
iv. Ability to develop and conduct training on health information management programs, policies, procedures, and performance improvement activities.
v. Ability to effectively procure and manage HIM resources (i.e. space, staffing, education, budget, etc.).
vi. 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.
vii. Customer service skills necessary to effectively communicate (written and verbal) and interact with all levels of hospital personnel, physicians, patients, and outside agencies.
viii. Ability to deal effectively with sensitive and/or complex situations.

Preferred Experience: 3-5 years of supervisory and technical experience in managing coding, record completion, file room, scanning, release of information, and transcription/dragon dictation. Detailed technical expertise in health records science and other very technical aspects of HIM.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS12.

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:
1st Area of Consideration - current permanent Alexandria VA Health Care System employees including satellites;
2nd Area of Consideration - current permanent VA Nationwide employees;
3rd Area of Consideration - current permanent Federal employees of other Agencies;
4th Area of Consideration - all other applicants based on Veterans' Preference

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.