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.
- 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.
- 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***
- NOTE. HIMs Certification is required for all positions above the full performance level.
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).
Grade Determinations:
Medical Records Administrator (Chief( CHIM) GS-12
Assignments. This assignment serves as the CHIM, which is the highest-level professional position at the facility, with responsibility for the management and direction of the health information management program. CHIMs provide technical advice, planning, and evaluation regarding health information management issues that impact 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 effectively communicate and negotiate with staff at all levels of the organization. The CHIM communicates with medical center staff and external organizations to promote compliance with regulations, guidelines, policies, and procedures to meet the goal of excellent patient care. They ensure quality and efficiency for all areas and processes of the HIM department. They develop and implement HIM departmental short-term and long-term budgets, to include contracts, equipment, space, training, and staffing plans.
In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following criteria must be met:
Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the KSAs described at that level.
AND
Certification. Employees at this level must have a HIM Certification.
- Note. See paragraph 2d of this appendix for detailed definitions of HIM certification.
AND
You must also demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's):
- Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal, ethical, and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies, as they apply to health information management.
- Skill in evaluating, developing and implementing new policies, procedures, and programs.
- Ability to provide program oversight, including advisory and technical expertise on a range of health information management practices and guidelines to staff at various levels.
- Ability to develop and conduct training on health information management programs, policies, procedures, and performance improvement activities.
- Ability to effectively procure and manage HIM resources i.e. space, staffing, education, budget, etc.
- 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.
- Customer service skills necessary to effectively communicate (written and verbal) and interact with all levels of hospital personnel, physicians, patients, and outside agencies.
- Ability to deal effectively with sensitive and/or complex situations.
Preferred Experience: Experience in policies and procedures pertaining to health record documentation, coding and clinical documentation improvement, release of information, file room/scanning, records management, transcription, and medical speech recognition. Experience with legal and regulatory guidelines that apply to health information. Experience with VHA policies and procedure relating to Health Information Management Program.
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-12.
Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary, sitting at a computer for sustained periods of concentration. There will be some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of relatively light objects. The position may also require stooping, reaching, lifting, pulling and other moderate exertion or strain. The incumbent may occasionally have to walk some distance to meetings. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.