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. 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 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 Certification: Persons hired or reassigned to Medical Records Administrators (MRA) positions in the GS-0669 series in VHA must meet one of the following: Coding Certification through American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) or American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC). OR, HIM Certification through AHIMA. OR Health Data Analyst Certification through AHIMA. Grandfathering Provisions: 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. 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: 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. 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. 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. 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 Physical Requirements: Routine work requires phone, keyboard and computer mouse use, standing and sitting for extended periods of time, intermittent/ non-strenuous ambulation around all areas of the medical center, and carrying light items such as papers, books and some files. English Language Proficiency. Medical Records Administrators must be proficient in spoken and written English. See 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Medical Records Administrator (Chief (CHIM)), GS-13 Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level, that is directly related to the position to be filled and Certification: Certification. Employees at this level must have a HIM Certification Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal, ethical and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies, as they apply to health information management. Ability to provide sound, technical guidance to staff at various levels about major programs, legal, or procedural changes related to health information management. Skill in revising facility policies and procedures to improve health information management services and to evaluate, modify, and/or adapt new methods to meet regulatory requirements. Skill in analyzing complex data, interpreting