Summary
This position is located in the Health Information Management (HIM) Section of Health Administration Service at the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS). Medical Records Administration Specialist (MRAS) in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) performs work concerned with the management of a health record program or the provision of services related to medical record administration/health information services.
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Duties
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- Provides advice and guidance on the HIM program in relation to issues such as, but not limited, to documentation requirements for coding, liability issues, advance directives, informed consent, scanning processes, speech recognition, release of information, and record control processes.
- Produces management reports from studies and develops an action plan.
- Assists in writing health information policies and procedures to incorporate new or revised approaches to the management of health information while ensuring that regulatory requirements are maintained when revising policies and procedures.
- Participates in facility committees and subcommittees related to health information and provides technical advice when necessary.
- Serves as technical specialist in health information related matters, provides advice and guidance on the HIM program in relation to issues such as, but not limited to, documentation requirements for coding, liability issues, advance directives, informed consent, scanning processes, speech recognition, release of information, state reporting, etc.
- Reviews the health record and discusses any documentation or incomplete items with the clinical staff to ensure a complete record for a variety of needs such as patient care, data collection and research, and to submit information to requesting insurance companies in an expeditious manner.
- Performs quantitative and qualitative reviews of health record documentation to ensure all patient care data entered in the electronic health record (EHR) is accurate, timely, and completed.
- Serves as an EHR liaison in the implementation of automated clinical applications pertaining to the electronic health record. Applications supported concentrate on those involving automation of the clinical record and functions supporting clinicians and other health care providers in multiple using services.
- Performs work related to all areas of HIM as well as collaborates with other departments within the medical center and VISN to improve performance and patient care. Compiles, reviews, abstracts, analyzes, and interprets medical/legal data incidental to a variety of patient care and treatment activities.
- Troubleshoots daily operating problems with relevant software modules.
- Assures the accuracy and timeliness of the capturing of patient services charges (workload) in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. Adheres to established documentation requirements as outlined by TJC regulations, VHA guidelines, as well as medico-legal requirements.
- Performs workflow analyses, recommend process improvements, identify and implement best practices, and implement changes as needed to improve the productivity and quality controls of the HIM department.
- Provides training for HIM, clinical and administrative staff on HIM topics.
- Performs audits and analyses, preparing and presenting findings and recommendations to the CHIM, Service Line Leaders and medical staff.
- Reviews and test HIM related software patches; test and troubleshooting EHR 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.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am to 4:30pm
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 62188F, 62244-F, 62245-F, 62246-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
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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 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.
- Certification: Persons hired or reassigned to MRA positions in the GS-0669 series in VHA must meet one of the following:
- Coding Certification through AHIMA or AAPC.
OR,
HIM Certification through AHIMA.
OR,
Health Data Analyst Certification through AHIMA.
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 GS-5:
None beyond basic requirements.
Grade Determinations GS-7:
Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
OR,
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: 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,
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.
GS- 7 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of current classification systems, such as International Classification of Diseases, Current Procedural Terminology, and the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS).
- Ability to effectively communicate (written and verbal) with medical center staff, patients, and external entities.
- Ability to use data collection and analytical techniques for purposes of review, quality control, studies and analysis of health information.
- 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.
- Ability to work independently, adapt to shifting priorities, and meet deadlines.
Grade Determinations GS-9:
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,
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.
GS- 9 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of medical and legal requirements related to health information management and health records.
- Ability to provide technical advice and guidance on health information[management practices.
- Skill in extracting data from various sources and analyzing health information to create reports.
- Skill in researching, interpreting, and applying health information management guidelines.
- Knowledge of performance and process improvement techniques to develop new or improved solutions in health information management.
Grade Determinations GS-11:
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates all of the KSAs described at that level.
OR,
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.
GS- 11 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
- Skill in performance and process improvement [techniques to develop and implement new or improved solutions in health information management.
- 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.
- Ability to plan, justify, develop, evaluate, assess, monitor, and advise on current health information management processes and recommend changes in policies or procedures.
- Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal, ethical, and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies, as they apply to health information management.
- Ability to acquire, manage, analyze, interpret, and transform data into accurate, consistent, and meaningful information.
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-5 to GS-11.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
Education
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-
