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:
- Three years of creditable experience in the field of medical records that includes the preparation, maintenance, and management of health records and health information systems, medical records systems.
OR
- Successful completion of a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university 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
- Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education that equals 100 percent may be used to meet basic requirements.
Certifications:
Persons hired or reassigned to this position must meet one of the following:
- Coding Certification through AHIMA or AAPC*
- HIM Certification through AHIMA **
- Health Data Analyst Certification through AHIMA***
English Language Proficiency:
Applicant must be proficient in spoken and written English.
Grandfathering Provision
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).All persons employed in VHA [as an MRA] are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, including positive education, and [registration and/or] certification [ ] that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.
Grade Determinations: Medical Records Administrator - GS-12
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates all the KSAs described at that level.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Skill in managing various projects and processes, which includes the ability to develop new or improved solutions to complex technical problems in health information management.
- Ability to advise management and staff health information (management practices) based on current industry standards, policies, statutes, laws, and regulation.
- Ability to plan, justify, develop, evaluate, assess, monitor, and/or 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 successfully apply principles and techniques of sound management (i.e., staffing, space, contracts, equipment).
- 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.
AND
Certification: Employees at this level
must have a HIM Certification.
**
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).
References:
VA Handbook 5005/130 PART II APPENDIX G33 MEDICAL RECORD[S] ADMINISTRATOR/MEDICAL RECORDS ADMINISTRATION SPECIALIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS- [0]669 Veterans Health Administration May 28, 2020
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12
Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019 Employee Occupational Health Service
*
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).
**
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).
***
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).