Job Description

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. Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as an MRA are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, including positive education, and registration and/or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation on the effective date of May 28, 2020. 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, the following provisions apply: (1) 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. (2) Employees who were 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. (3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/registration/certification, and meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (4) MRAs who are converted to title 38 hybrid status 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 medical records administrator. Grade Determinations: GS-12 Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11). AND Certification: Must posses a HIIM certification through AHIMA. AND Applicant must meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below: 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ Part II Appendix G33 Medical Records Administrator/Medical Records GS-0669-12. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Mostly sedenta