Duties
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
- Oversees daily operations of the Release of Information (ROI) unit within the Health Information Management (HIM) section.
- Reviews and processes requests for patient protected health information (PHI).
- Provides direct customer service to the Veteran (or third party) by providing copies of the Veteran's PHI upon receipt of a signed, written request or valid authorization.
- Ensures only the information specified by the Veteran is released and shared only with authorized individuals or those with legal authority to receive it.
- Possesses expertise in all applicable Federal laws, rules, and regulations regarding release of health information.
- Performs supervision, administrative management, and direction of release of information staff, including GS-7 MRT (ROI-Legal) and Lead MRT (ROI) positions.
- Prepares work assignments, monitors performance, evaluates employee performance, selects staff, recommends awards and advancements, and takes disciplinary actions.
- Generates workload reports, distributes pending workload, and monitors completion status.
- Ensures timely release of health records in accordance with policies and procedures.
- Ensures compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements, implementing corrective action when needed.
- Works collaboratively with VA Regional Counsel to ensure health records related to malpractice, subpoenas, and tort cases are prepared and disclosed promptly.
- Ensures orientation and competency assessments are conducted for all assigned staff.
- Develops policies and procedures, performance standards, position descriptions, and functional statements.
- Maintains interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.
- Coordinates record retrieval and transfers to other VA facilities to ensure continuity of patient care and release of information.
- Assists with quality review of tort cases prior to sending records to VA Regional Counsel for litigation.
- Prepares weekly ROI and TORT record turnaround statistics.
- Monitors workload and production of staff, addressing issues to meet deadlines and ensure accuracy of work completed.
- Ensures work quality and productivity levels are appropriate.
- Provides guidance and technical direction necessary to accomplish the work of the unit.
- Reviews work accomplished and assesses quality, quantity, accuracy, and timeliness of work produced by each employee.
- Develops performance standards, conducts performance evaluations, and conducts competency assessments.
- Informs employees about important aspects of personnel management programs.
- Interviews new employees, recommends selections, and carries out training, development, awards, or disciplinary action.
- Approves leave and establishes work schedules.
- Implements provisions of EEO programs to ensure fair and equal treatment.
- Prepares requests and recommendations for promotions, reassignments, status changes, or recognition of outstanding performance.
- Prepares and submits functional statements for new positions, clarification, or updates.
- Receives formal grievances and resolves those manageable at the first supervisory level; proposes disciplinary actions when required.
- Ensures privacy policies and procedures are followed per applicable federal laws including the Privacy Act, FOIA, HIPAA, and AMIE.
- Maintains contact with VA Regional Counsel regarding malpractice, subpoena actions, and TORT record preparation.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm.
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 50393-F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- 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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
- English Language Proficiency: Proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).
- Experience and/or Education:
(1) 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 -
(2) Education. An associate's degree from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education with a major field of study in health information technology/health information management, or a related degree with a minimum of 12 semester hours in health information technology/health information management (e.g., courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, legal aspects of health care, and introduction to health records).
- OR -
(3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. The following educational/training substitutions are appropriate for combining education and experience:
- (a) Six months of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, privacy and release of information, the health record, and one year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health information technology/health information management courses.
- (b) Six months of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, privacy and release of information, the health record, and 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. The training program may be substituted on a month- 3 for-month basis for up to six months of experience provided the training program included courses in anatomy and physiology, and health record techniques and procedures
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:
Supervisory Medical Records Technician (ROI), GS-8
(1) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
(2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Ability to develop policy and provide workload analysis for release of information.
(b) Skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
(c) Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training.
(d) Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties, to include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed, performance evaluation, selection of staff, recommendations of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
Preferred Experience:
- Over one year of experience working in Release of Information
- Over one year of experience working with electronic medical records
- Medical terminology
- Organizational skills
- Ability to work under pressure/multitask
- Phone Etiquette
- Customer service skills
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 8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS 8.
Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional information
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
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
- Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Other (1)
- PCS Orders
- Performance Appraisal
- Professional Certification
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-15
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.