Clarification from the agency

Open to ALL US Citizens - Veterans Preference WILL Be APPLIED. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

This position is located in the Health Information Management (HIM) Section of the Clinical Operations service at the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System. Medical Records Administrators (MRAs) in VHA perform or supervise work concerned with the management of a health record program or the provision of services related to medical record administration/health information services. MRAs manage, preserve, analyze, and supervise the use of diagnostic and therapeutic health records/health information management. They develop policies and procedures and provide advice on the use of health records and health information management.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Provides technical advice, planning, and evaluation about health information management issues impacting the overall program on a regular and recurring basis.
• Establishes policies, procedures, responsibilities, and requirements for HIM-related matters, such as health record documentation, coding and clinical documentation improvement, release of information, file room/scanning, records management, transcription and medical speech recognition, as well as the overall management of health information and Veterans health records.
• Oversee development, implementation and adherence to HIM industry standards, policies, procedures, laws, regulations, and accrediting bodies.
• Ensure the facility is in compliance with applicable standards, by completing HIM audits, developing healthcare data reports, and statistical information, for timely and accurate reporting.
• Monitors HIM performance through dashboards, productivity standards, and benchmarking.
• Participates in establishing and implementing strategic facility and HIM Department goals and controlling program activities and cost, budgeting, procurement, and property management, to achieve goals and improve processes.
• Monitors and manages HIM workflow to ensure program objectives are met.
• Full program responsibility for all facets of the Health Information Management (HIM) program and processes.
• Ensures HIM program meets and/or exceed national HIM policies, procedures, and performance metrics.
• Responsible for the administrative management of health records, which includes planning, managing, advising, and directing the health information program in accordance with applicable Federal laws, facility by-laws, VHA policy, The Joint Commission (TJC) standards, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and other regulatory and accrediting agency standards.
• Creates and monitors systems to ensure accurate, timely, and complete health records, in accordance with VHA policy and TJC health information protocols.
• Measures ongoing intradepartmental performance by establishing priorities, collecting data, monitoring and reporting outcomes, using valid and reliable techniques to analyze trends and variation, and taking appropriate action based on findings.
• Responsible for all facets of health records management for the facility ensuring maintenance of complete, accurate, timely, clinically-pertinent, and readily-accessible patient health records, which contain sufficient recorded information to serve as a basis to plan patient care, support diagnoses, warrant treatment, measure outcomes, support education, research, and facilitate performance improvement processes and legal requirements.
• Develops policies, processes, and procedures that address all VA, Federal, regulatory, and accrediting requirements for HIM.
• Evaluates health records program and independently determines the nature and extent of problem areas.
• Develops recommendations and solutions for program improvement.
• Develops and implements innovative solutions to correct technical, complex problems.
• Clinical support role: Key advisor to the Chief of Staff, Executive Management, and clinicians and is responsible for providing technical guidance on health information issues such as documentation requirements, liability issues, advance directives, informed consent, release of information, transcription/speech recognition, health information exchange, etc.
• Recommends improvements in health record documentation used to provide patient care, to optimize VERA workload, third party reimbursement and to manage resources.
• Full complement of HIM supervisory responsibility including coding, record completion, file room, scanning, ROI, etc.

*** Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Recruitment/Relocation incentive may be paid in accordance with federal regulations and in consideration of budget availability for a highly qualified candidate; determination upon selection and the selectee must sign a service agreement.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00a.m. - 3:30p.m. or 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Telework Eligibility: Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 70832-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
Permanent Change of Station(PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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.
• Proficient in spoken and written English.
• Have at least one of the following experience and/or education requirements:
  • 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, 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.

In addition to the basic requirements, the below qualification requirements must be met for the GS-13.

Grade Determinations:

Assignments. This assignment is the Chief Health Information Management (CHIM), which is the highest-level professional position at the facility with responsibility for the management and direction of the health information management program. Full program management and supervisory responsibility to direct professional MRAs, technical MRTs, and other support staff in health information management. Provide technical advice, planning, and evaluation about health information management issues impacting the overall program on a regular and recurring basis. The CHIM establishes policies, procedures, responsibilities, and requirements for HIM-related matters, such as health record documentation, coding and clinical documentation improvement, release of information, file room/scanning, records management, transcription and medical speech recognition, as well as the overall management of health information and Veterans health records. They oversee development, implementation and adherence to HIM industry standards, policies, procedures, laws, regulations, and accrediting bodies. They ensure the facility is in compliance with applicable standards, by completing HIM audits, developing healthcare data reports, and statistical information, for timely and accurate reporting. The CHIM monitors HIM performance through dashboards, productivity standards, and benchmarking. They participate in establishing and implementing strategic facility and HIM Department goals and controlling program activities and cost, budgeting, procurement, and property management, to achieve goals and improve processes. The CHIM monitors and manages HIM workflow to ensure program objectives are met.

Experience: At leastone year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) described at that level. The lower grade, GS-12, MRA KSAs are:

1. 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.
2. Ability to advise management and staff on a wide range of health information management practices based on current industry standards, policies, statutes, laws, and regulations.
3. Ability to plan, justify, develop, evaluate, assess, monitor, and/or 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 successfully apply principles and techniques of sound resource management (i.e., staffing, space, contracts, equipment).
6. 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.

Medical Records Administrator (CHIM), GS-13, must have Health Information Management (HIM) Certification. This higher-level health information management certification is limited to certification obtained through AHIMA. 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). The only acceptable proof of this certification must be provided from: https://my.ahima.org/certification/credentialverification.aspx Website.

Medical Records Administrator (CHIM), GS-13, must also demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

1. Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal, ethical and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies, as they apply to health information management.
2. Ability to provide sound, technical guidance to staff at various levels about major program, legal, or procedural changes related to health information management.
3. Skill in revising facility policies and] procedures to improve health information management services and to evaluate, modify, and/or adapt new methods to meet regulatory requirements.
4. Skill in analyzing complex data, interpreting and trending results for effective management of the HIM program.
5. Skill in management/administration, which includes program planning, coordination, interpretation, supervision, consultation, negotiation, problem solving, and monitoring of HIM processes.
6. Ability to delegate authority, evaluate and oversee people and programs, accomplish program goals, and adapt to changing priorities.

These KSAs must be documented in your resume.

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-13.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. There is walking, bending and reaching required such as for filing or locating material, and carrying items such as reports, documents, and supplies. Entering data and word processing on a personal computer may result in physical problems from the effects of repetitive motion and eyestrain.

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:

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

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 (VA)
• License
• AHIMA Certification
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

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.

Next steps