Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. First Area of Consideration will be given to current, permanent employees of Southern Nevada VA Health Care System.

Medical Record Technician (MRT) -Coders are skilled in classifying medical data from patient health records in the hospital setting, and/or physician-based settings, such as physician offices, group practices, multi-specialty clinics, and specialty centers. Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Complete and accurate diagnostic and procedural coded data are necessary for research, epidemiology, outcomes and statistical analysis, financial and strategic planning, reimbursement, evaluation of quality of care, and communication to support the patient's treatment.
• Selects and assigns codes from the current version of several coding systems to include ICD, CPT, and/or HCPCS.
• Applies advanced knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, disease processes, treatment modalities, diagnostic tests, medications, procedures as well as the principles and practices of health services and the organizational structure to ensure proper code selection.
• Performs a comprehensive review of the electronic health record to abstract medical, surgical, ancillary, demographic, social, and administrative data to ensure complete data capture.
• Instructs employees in specific tasks and job techniques and makes available written instructions, reference materials and supplies.
• Gives on the job training to new coders and students to provide the individual with the basic knowledge, skill and ability to perform the full range of routine and non-routine responsibilities required.
• Trains and works closely with professional and administrative staff to assist in the development, maintenance and usage of ICD and CPT codes to ensure accurate data capture.
• Conforms to standards and participates in the technical evaluation and validation of health records for compliance with The Joint Commission requirements, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and/or health record documentation guidelines.
• Distributes and balance the workload among employees in accordance with established workflow or job specialization, assures timely accomplishment of the assigned workload.
• Analyzes and recommends improvements in documentation systems used to provide patient care to optimize VERA workload, third-party reimbursement, and to manage resources.
• Reviews compliance monitors with Supervisor and identifies training needs. Reviews, audits, trains, monitors and completes special assignments within specified time frames.
• Identifies training needs of individuals based on productivity and accuracy reports, rejects from billing, and spot checks. *Makes recommendations to supervisor concerning disciplinary actions due to insufficient performance and identifies continuing education needs.
• Trains others on the encoder product suite. Utilizes this system on an on-going basis to perform core coding duties and audits.
• Takes the initiative in one-on-one provider training to improve health record documentation for the episodes of care provided.
• Has constant interaction with health care providers evaluating and communicating with the expectation on improving health generation.
• Educates providers through feedback, email queries, or informal meetings.
• Independently plans, coordinates, and carries out assignments in accordance with instructions, policies, previous training, or accepted practices in health information management.
• Independently prioritizes, plans, and organizes work to meet established deadlines and timelines. Keeps supervisor informed of progress and problems on a regular basis. Work is spot checked for compliance with regulations, guidelines, and policies.

Work Schedule: To Be Determined
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
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 dentification 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.
Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the journey grade level MRT (Coder).
Physical Requirements. Light lifting (under 15 pounds); Moderate carrying (15-44 pounds); Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (1-4 hours); Standing (1-4 hours).
English Language Proficiency. MRTs must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
Certification. Persons hired or reassigned to MRT (Coder) positions in the GS-0675 series in VHA must have either (1), (2), or (3) below:
(1) Apprentice/Associate Level Certification through AHIMA or AAPC.
(2) Mastery Level Certification through AHIMA or AAPC.
(3) Clinical Documentation Improvement Certification through AHIMA or ACDIS.

Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a MRT (Coder) on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
(1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the journey level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but will not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) Such employees in an occupation that requires a certification only at higher grade levels must meet the certification requirement before they can be promoted to the higher-grade levels.
(3) MRTs who are appointed on a temporary basis, prior to the effective date of the qualification standard, may not have their temporary appointment extended, or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
(4) MRTs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
(5) Employees who are retained as a MRT under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry as a MRT.

Creditable Experience. Experience is only creditable if it 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 (KSAs) associated with current practice and must be paid or non-paid employment equivalent to a MRT (Inpatient and Outpatient Coder).
Quality of Experience. To be creditable, experience must be documented on the application or resume and verified in an employment reference or through other independent means.

Preferred experience: Lead MRTs (Coder) must be able to perform all duties of a MRT (Coder),review coding and assist MRTs (Coder) in ensuring timeliness and improving coding accuracy; provide coding guidance to various levels of staff to promote consistency in practice and compliance with coding rules and regulations; initiate, prepare, and maintain various reports, and analyze data; and may also coordinate, assign, and monitor workflow; provide input for performance evaluations and hiring; orient and instruct new coding personnel and/or students on coding, abstracting, and use of the electronic health record and encoder software; ensure audit findings and claim denials related to coding errors are resolved and/or daily coding rejects corrected for accurate billing and data collection; monitor trends and/or changes in regulatory and policy requirements affecting coding practices and identify educational needs; develop coding training materials and present a curriculum encompassing ongoing training initiatives; provide assistance with coding inquiries from providers, MRTs (Coder), billers, and other facility staff.

Grade Determinations: Lead Medical Records Technician (Coder), GS-9
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the journey grade level MRT (Coder).
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
1. Ability to work with a team to provide technical guidance, plan, organize, and coordinate activities in order to effectively complete job duties of assignment, such as distributing workload, monitoring the status and progress of work, monitoring accuracy of work, etc.
2. Advanced knowledge of current coding classification systems for the subspecialty being assigned (outpatient, inpatient, outpatient and inpatient combined) and the ability to research and solve complex questions related to coding conventions and guidelines in an accurate and timely manner.
3. Ability to effectively communicate, both orally and in writing, in order to meet program objectives.
4. Knowledge of training methods and the ability to provide training to new coding staff.
5.. Ability to collect and analyze data and present results in various formats, which may include presenting reports to various organizational levels.
6. Leadership skills, including interpersonal relations and conflict resolution between employees, managers, and clinical staff.

Certification: Employees at this level must have a mastery level certification-This is considered a higher-level health information management or coding certification and is limited to certification obtained through AHIMA or AAPC. To be acceptable for qualifications, the specific certification must represent a comprehensive competency in the occupation. Stand-alone specialty certifications do not meet the definition of mastery level certification and are not acceptable for qualifications. Certification titles may change and certifications that meet the definition of mastery level certification may be added/removed by the above certifying bodies. However, current mastery level certifications include: Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), Certified Coding Specialist - Physician-based (CCS-P), Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT), Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA), Certified Professional Coder (CPC), Certified Outpatient Coder (COC), Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC).

References: VA Handbook 5005/124 Part II Appendix G57 Medical Records Technician Qualification Standards

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-09. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-09.
Physical Requirements: Light lifting (under 15 pounds); Moderate carrying (15-44 pounds); Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (1-4 hours); Standing (1-4 hours).

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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Professional Certification
• Resume

Certification for this Position

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

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