Summary
OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?
Learn more about this agency
Duties
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Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
DUTIES:
- Processes all incoming requests to the facility for Release of Information (ROI) along with information required by the VA Regional Office through the Automated Medical Information Exchange (AMIE).
- Evaluates validity of each request.
- Determines which information is to be released in compliance with existing laws, such as the Privacy Act of 1974, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
- Inputs all requests into the ROI computer software for logging and tracking of these requests.
- Receives and directs callers and visitors.
- Receives and/or gives out forms and assists visitors and/or callers with the completion of forms or documents.
- Searches records or files to compose responses, including electronic searches to retrieve and summarize hard-to-locate data.
- Reviews paper and electronic health records (i.e., scanned notes, reports, special tests, etc.) to identify material to be photocopied/printed/written to
- electronic media and released.
- Composes detailed explanations in response to correspondence received, arranging information into logical sequence and appropriate format, and choosing appropriate words and expressions to convey the desired tone.
- Resolves conflicting or inconsistent information found on initial requests.???????
- Processes Social Security requests for health information using ROI software.
- Completes and processes routine releases of information to other VA and Federal Agencies and when requested, to patients and their families, insurance representatives, physicians, hospitals, and city and state health agencies according to VA directives.
- Accurately enters all requests into the ROI software with necessary information for each request for health information.
- Completes necessary transactions for deposit of money collected from subpoenas, legal fees, and processing fees for release of information to individuals and insurance companies.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 7:30am to 4:00pm
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: GS-4; 10068F | GS-5; 10069F | GS-6; 10070F
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.
- Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
- 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 may/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:
English: Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English.
Experience: One year of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology and general understanding of health records. Six months of the required one year of creditable experience must have provided the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) needed to perform MRT (ROI) work.
-OR-
Education: An associate degree from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education with a major field of study in health information technology/health information management, or a related degree with a minimum of 12 semester hours in health information technology/health information management (e.g., courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, legal aspects of health care and introduction to health records). Transcripts Required.
-OR-
Combination Education and Experience: Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education are qualifying for meeting the basic requirements. The following education/training substitutions are appropriate for combining education and creditable experience. The following educational/training substitutions are appropriate for combining education and experience: (a) Six months of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, privacy and release of information of and the health record, and one year above high school with a minimum of 6 semester hours of health information technology courses. (b) Six months of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, privacy and release of information, the health record, and successful completion of a course of medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces or the U.S. Maritime Service under close medical and professional supervision may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to six months of experience provided the training program included courses in anatomy, physiology, and health record techniques and procedures.
Transcripts Required.
GRADE DETERMINATION: In addition to the basic requirements above the following is the amount of creditable experience and/or education required to qualify for this position at the GS-4 through GS-6 grade level.
GS-4 Entry Level: None beyond the basic requirements above.
GS-5 Level Experience or Education: At least 1 year of creditable experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-4) or successful completion of a bachelor's degree 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 technology/health information management (e.g., courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, legal aspects of health care, and introduction to health records).
In addition, applicants must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(1) Ability to utilize health information technology and various office software products utilized in MRT (ROI) positions (e.g., the electronic health record, release of information systems, etc.);
(2) Knowledge of health record documentation guidelines and processes for disclosing protected health information;
(3) Ability to manage priorities and coordinate work in order to complete duties within required timeframes, and the ability to follow-up on pending issues;
(4) knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, and regulations governing privacy and release of information;
(5) Ability to communicate with individuals from various backgrounds to obtain the desired effect or gaining information by establishing rapport. Transcripts required if qualifying based on Education.
GS-6 Level Experience: At least one full year of creditable experience as an MRT (ROI) to the next lower level (GS-5) which demonstrates the KSAs related to the duties of the position to be filled. Creditable experience must demonstrate skill in applying, interpreting, and analyzing laws and regulations related to the disclosure of health information; educating requestors on requirements for submitting requests for health information; receiving and validating authorization forms and request; using various computer applications to track and release authorized ROI requests initiate and maintain the accounting of disclosure for records disclosed from a Privacy Act system of records.
In addition, applicants must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(1) Knowledge of the laws and regulations related to the authorization and disclosure of health information (e.g., Privacy Act, Freedom of Information Act, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and 38 U.S.C. 7332, Confidentiality of Certain Medical Records);
(2) Ability to apply health record documentation guidelines and processes to navigate efficiently through the paper and/or electronic health record to locate, assemble, and disclose protected health information;
(3) Ability to apply policies, procedures, laws, and regulations governing privacy and release of information to process requests for release of information;
(4) Ability to research and solve difficult questions related to release of health information in an accurate and timely manner.
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-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-4 to GS-6.
Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary, but may require walking, bending, standing, and /or carrying of light items such as files and manuals. The work does not require any special physical effort or ability.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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-qualifications/.
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment a