Medical Records Administrator (Assistant Chief of Health Information Management)

Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees only. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

The Assistant Chief of HIM is responsible for the supervision of HIM functions and is a full assistant to the Chief of Health Information Management (CHIM).. Incumbent is charged with assisting in full responsibility, both technical and administrative, for the daily operation of the HIM department which consists of all functions of health record activities related to coding, health record documentation analysis, transcription/speech recognition, release of information, file room/scanning programs, and health information exchange. Provides expertise, guidance and direction and has responsibilities relative to providing supervision, administrative support, coordination and technical assistance in the planning, development and maintenance of an effective, comprehensive and integrated HIM Program. The incumbent assists the CHIM in the planning, directing, policy making, organizing and controlling the activities of this department and serves as Acting CHIM in the absence of the CHIM.

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Establishing policies, responsibilities, and requirements for HIM related matters, such as health record documentation, coding and clinical documentation improvement, records management, release of information, file room/scanning, transcription and medical speech recognition, as well as the overall management of health information and Veterans' health records.
• Identifying and setting short-range and long-range goals, program objectives, and tasks to meet the mission and vision of the medical center.
• Monitoring and manages HIM workflow to ensure the program objectives are met.
• Assisting with planning, developing, directing, and evaluating health information and other functions.
• Overseeing implementation and adherence to HIM industry standards, policies, procedures, laws, regulations, and accrediting bodies.
• Ensuring the facility is in compliance with applicable standards by completing HIM audits, developing healthcare data reports, and statistical information, for timely and accurate reporting.
• Establishing, implementing, and monitoring HIM performance through metrics, productivity measures, benchmarking, and other applicable tools.
• Ensuring quality and efficiency for all areas and processes of the HIM department.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
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.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 identification 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: All applicants must meet the following basic qualifications.

• Citizenship. Candidates must be a citizen of the United States.
• English Language Proficiency. MRAs must be proficient in spoken and written English. See 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education or Experience: 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 [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 -,

• 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.)
• 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).

Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

GRADE REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be to qualify for a specific grade level

Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates all the KSAs described at that level, which are: Skill in performance and process improvement techniques to develop and implement new or improved solutions in health information management; 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, statutes, laws, and regulations; Ability to plan, justify, develop, evaluate, assess, monitor, and 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 plan, justify, develop, evaluate, assess, monitor and/or advise on current HIM processes and recommend changes in policies or procedures; Ability to successfully apply principles and techniques of sound resource 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 for awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions, when appropriate.

AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
i. 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.
ii. 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].
iii. Ability to plan, justify, develop, evaluate, assess, monitor, and/or advise on current health information management processes, and recommend changes in policies or procedures.
iv. Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal, ethical, and regulatory guidelines, and accrediting bodies as they apply to health information management.
v. Ability to successfully apply principles and techniques of sound resource management (i.e., staffing, space, contracts, equipment).
vi. 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.

References: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

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.

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.

NOTE:

Incomplete packets will not be considered. Failure to submit the required documentation will make you ineligible for this position.

The following documents are required from all applicants:

• Résumé/CV: For each job/position listed, you must include a job title, detailed duties, month and year for each start/end date and if full-time or part-time status with the number of hours worked each week.
• Responses to the questionnaire
• Certification: Provide a copy of your Health Information Management (HIM) certification obtained through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
• SF-50: All VA/Federal employees must submit a copy of their most recent SF-50 (NOT an award SF-50) that shows they are a current, permanent VA/Federal employee. VA employees may get their SF-50 directly from:https://eopf.opm.gov/va/.

The following additional supporting documents may be submitted, if applicable:

• Transcript(s): Must provide a copy of your college transcript(s) if using education to qualify
• Cover Letter

Next steps