Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to US Citizens and current, permanent employees of other Federal agencies. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

The major duties of the Medical Records Technician (Cancer Registrar) Coordinator position include:

• Performs the regular duties of a Cancer Registry Coordinator by performing real time case ascertainment reviewing all data sources, completing full data set, and perform annual follow up for disease surveillance to meet the goal of the VACRS and hospital Cancer Program.
• Performs lifetime follow-up for disease surveillance for patients including cancer status, vital status, and development of subsequent new cancers.
• Prepares routine and special statistical reports, narratives and graphic representations requiring use of registry data to report on status of cancer incidence reporting.
• Assists with the development and implementation of our procedures to process, document, store and retrieve cancer registry patient data that conforms to Federal, State and local requirements.
• Distributes a random sample of annual analytic case load for physician review to ensure quality registry data. Consults with managing physician(s) on complex diagnoses or treatment plan.
• Monitors in-house and Multidisciplinary Cancer Conference(s). Duties include monitoring agenda for potentially reportable patients, update previously diagnosed patients for new clinical information, and submitting minimum data requirements during day of conference or COB week of presentation to support real time data submission(s).
• Supports the Cancer Program by being a subject-matter-experts on CoC data requirements and standards related to cancer incidence and outcomes reporting, provides input for potential process improvement opportunities, risk management or patient safety issues, and participates in Cancer Committee annual initiatives that require data.
• As a Cancer Registry Coordinator, 25% or more of assigned job duties are of a higher degree and with greater scope and complexity. These additional duties are more complex and range in variety.
  • Create and implement process improvements to align with real time reporting to capture complete Veteran cancer incidence.
• Monitors patient documentation is available, complete, timely and accurate in order to complete and submit the full required dataset per VA and national standards. Collaborates with clinical care team to alert to EMR discrepancies, gaps, or omissions in the full spectrum of diagnostics, workup, treatment and surveillance.
• Monitors VA and national standard setters for cancer patient data to ensure compliance.
• Participates in regular continuing education per supervisor or NOP requirements to maintain highest data quality standards.
• Participates in the recruitment and onboarding of new registry personnel for vacant positions.
• Actively participates in the expansion of the Cancer Center Program by providing data that guides programmatic, administrative, clinical initiatives, as well as long term strategic objectives.
• Additional administrative duties and analytical duties as assigned by the Oncology Section Chief.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm or 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Not available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 92734-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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.
• Must pass pre-employment evaluation.
• 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 may 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

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 and Education.
  • Experience. One year of experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology and general understanding of the health record. Six months of the required one year of experience must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to perform MRT work. OR,
  • Education. Two years above high school with a minimum of 12 semester hours directly related to MRT work (e.g., courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and introduction to health records). OR,
  • Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. The following educational/training substitutions are appropriate for combining education and experience:
    • Six months of experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology and general understanding of the health record and one year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health information technology courses.
    • Successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces or the U.S. Maritime Service under close medical and professional supervision. Training may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to six months of experience, provided the training program included courses in anatomy, physiology, and medical record techniques and procedures. The position requires six additional months of experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology and general understanding of the health record.
• Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a [MRT (Cancer Registrar)] 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 that is 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:
  • Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
  • MRTs [(Cancer Registrar)] 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.
  • MRTs [(Cancer Registrar)] 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.
  • Employees who are retained as a MRT [(Cancer Registrar)] 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 [(Cancer Registrar)].
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.
• English Language Proficiency. MRT (Cancer Registrar) candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Grade Determinations:

GS-9, Medical Records Technician (Cancer Registrar) Coordinator.

(1) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-8.

(2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate [all of] the following KSAs:

(a) Knowledge and understanding of American College of Surgeons (ACoS) and/or facility requirements for administering, monitoring, and reporting compliance of the cancer program to the governing bodies.
(b) Ability to interpret data to set, evaluate, and adjust the cancer program and/or facility goals and objectives.
(c) Ability to inform cancer registry staff on the technical components of the cancer database, coordinate workflow and monitor data for accuracy and quality measures.
(d) Ability to multitask.
(e) Ability to communicate with diverse disciplines regarding the facility requirements of the cancer program.
(f) Ability to analyze and interpret data for use in facility strategic planning.
(g) Ability to develop cancer program/cancer registry policies and procedures to ensure patient-centered care for cancer patients in accordance with government-wide, agency, and facility requirements.

Preferred Experience: Minimum of two years of experience reporting hospital cancer registry patient data to national standards equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-8.

Preferred Qualifications: Current ODS-credentialed. Extensive understanding of NCDB data requirements, CoC standards for accredited cancer programs, pathophysiology, advanced medical terminology, full spectrum oncologic therapies and the oncological disease processes.

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

Physical Requirements: Complies with all safety/fire prevention rules/regulations, using protective equipment when required and provided. Promptly reports all accidents and notifies supervisor of unsafe/unhealthful conditions in the workplace. Attends scheduled training sessions and participates in medical center/service level safety promotions as directed by the supervisor. Knows fire drill and emergency plans for work area, including location of all emergency fire equipment. The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. There are no unusual physical demands.

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

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)
• Other (2)
• Other (3)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• 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.

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