Medical Records Administration Specialist

Summary
We are seeking a Medical Records Administration Specialist (MRAS). This position is located in the Health Information Management (HIM) section of Health Administration Service at the John D Dingell VA Medical Center. MRASs manage - preserve - analyze - and supervise the use of diagnostic and therapeutic health records/health information management. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. Refer to Required Documents below for more information.

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
• 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
• 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
• Current HIM certifications include Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)
• OR - (3) Health Data Analyst Certification through AHIMA
• Current health data analyst certification includes Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA)
• English Language Proficiency
• MRASs must be proficient in spoken and written English
• See 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f)
• Grade Determinations: GS-11: a) Experience
• In addition to meeting the basic requirements - possess at least one (1) year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09) which demonstrates the knowledge - skills and abilities described at that level
• Examples of creditable experience include - but is not limited to: Responsible for generating and analyzing multiple HIM reports and identifying best practices or opportunities for improvement
• They perform workflow analyses - recommend process improvements - and implement changes to improve the productivity and quality controls of the HIM department
• They monitor reports - trends - and health record data integrity according to established policies - procedures - and industry standards
• MRASs participate in various health record review activities
• They also participate in various facility and regional committees requiring health information management subject matter expertise
• OR b) 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 - And - in addition to the requirements above - must possess the following: (c) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: 1
• Skill in performance and process improvement techniques to develop and implement new or improved solutions in health information management
• 2
• 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
• 3
• Ability to plan - justify - develop - evaluate - assess - monitor - and advise on current health information management processes and recommend changes in policies or procedures
• 4
• Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal - ethical - and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies - as they apply to health information management
• 5
• Ability to acquire - manage - analyze - interpret - and transform data into accurate - consistent - and meaningful information
• Creditable Experience
• Experience is only creditable if it is in health information management and is directly related to the position to be filled
• To be creditable - the candidate's experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge - skills - and abilities associated with current practice
• Experience satisfying this requirement must be active practice - which is paid/non-paid employment as an MRT/MRA or related field such as medical coding - qualitative and quantitative health record analysis - Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act privacy and release of information - or preparation - maintenance - and management of health records
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11 and is only being recruited for externally at the GS-11 grade level
• Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary
• There may be some - walking - standing - bending and carrying books - files - etc.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties include - but are not limited to: Assists the Chief - Health Information Management (CHIM) and the HIM Department in identifying and setting short-and-long-range goals - program objectives and tasks to meet the mission and vision of the VAMC
• Provides subject matter expertise to Service Line Leaders - and medical center staff
• Interprets and applies the The Joint Commission (TJC) standards - VA regulations and medico-legal requirements requirements
• current Federal Codes pertinent to health records
• Veterans Administration policy memoranda - directives and handbooks pertinent to health information management
• medical coding (ICD - CPT - HCPCS) and reimbursement methodologies
• medical and procedural terminology
• anatomy and physiology - regulations governing confidentiality of health records
• release of information laws and statutes
• and all policies/procedures pertaining to VHA health records
• Provides training and education for the facility on HIM related functions - clinical and administrative staff on HIM topics
• Designs and performs education and training on ICD - CPT - HCPCs and other diagnostic and procedural quality improvement projects regarding HIM issues
• Performs audits - review previously conducted audits by the HIM auditors - and analyses - preparing and presenting findings and recommendations to the CHIM - Service Line Leaders and medical staff
• Serves as the point of contact for education and training with the focus specifically applied to ICD/CPT/HCPCS
• This HIMS educator is responsible for training the organizations staff to correctly implement protocols on recent changes
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm EST
• Recruitment Incentive (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)
• 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
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year 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
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $ 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: This position is currently authorized for telework - Location negotiable - incumbent must live within 50 mile radius of a VA Medical Center
• to meet the Return to Office Executive Order requirements - selected candidates may be required to Return to Office
• This will be discussed during the interview process
• Remote/Virtual: This position is currently designated as remote
• Remote work is defined as full-time employment conducted outside of a VA facility or in VA-leased spaces
• The option for remote work will be assessed continuously - and the selected individual may need to return to a VA office if required
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized