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Summary VA Portland Health Care System is a Complexity Level 1a Facility and provides extensive primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary care in outpatient, inpatient, residential, and community settings. VAPORHCS is a multi-site medical system that includes a major medical facility in Portland, Oregon, outpatient and residential facilities in Vancouver, Washington, and 10 Community Based Outpatient Clinics. Responsibilities The duties of this position include but are not limited to the following: Assists the Chief, Health Information Management (CHIM) and the HIM Department in identifying and setting short and long-range goals, program objectives, and tasks to meet the mission and vision of the VAMC. Provides subject matter expertise to Service Line Leaders, and medical center staff. Interprets and applies The Joint Commission (TJC) standards, VHA regulations and medical-legal requirements; current federal codes pertinent to health records; VHA policy memoranda, directives, handbooks and program guides pertinent to health information management; medical coding (ICD, CPT, HCPCS) and reimbursement methodologies; medical and procedural terminology; anatomy and physiology; regulations governing confidentiality of health records; release of information laws and statutes; and all policies/procedures pertaining to VHA health records. Provides training for HIM, clinical and administrative staff on HIM topics. Designs and performs quality improvement projects regarding HIM issues. Assists the CHIM in preparing and conducting various presentations. Keeps current on emerging issues and trends in the HIM field, including process improvement initiatives, the electronic health record (EHR), coding and computer­-assisted coding, the revenue cycle, release of information and privacy issues, records management, medical speech recognition, transcription and data entry, and health information exchange. Keeps HIM and clinical staff abreast of changing technology in electronic systems used to collect, process, code, protect and store health information. Participates in various VAMC, VISN and national committees requiring HIM subject matter expertise. Performs audits and analyses, preparing and presenting findings and recommendations to the CHIM, Service Line Leaders and medical staff. Assures the accuracy and timeliness of the capturing of patient services charges (workload) in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. Reviews, analyzes and reports HIM performance monitors. Advises Principal Investigators and other clinical staff on methodologies related to retrieval of health care data for specific studies. Performs data retrieval for special studies as needed. Utilizes advanced knowledge of VHA data sources, such as VHA Support Service Center (VSSC) and the Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW), to complete analyses of VA Medical Center data. Analyzes and evaluates on a quantitative basis, the effectiveness of the HIM program and operations in meeting established goals and objectives. Analyzes program performance data to identify areas needing improvement. May review and test HIM related software patches; test and troubleshooting EHR menu options and functional issues when HIM users report application errors; perform equipment needs analysis for new or replacement equipment and/or equipment repair; submit work orders or Remedy tickets for correction to HIM software errors. Is the facility expert for software and computer applications related to HIM to provide technical assistance to HIM staff (e.g., coding, ROI, dictation, and medical speech recognition software). Serves as point of contact for health record corrections to ensure documentation accurately reflects care delivered and reported. Documentation corrections may consist of retracting erroneous notes, re-titling notes, assigning notes to or removing from consult requests. Collaborates on improperly identified documents with clinicians, Clinical Applications Coordinators (CACs) and others who report problems. Reassigns, rescinds, and removes documents when they have been entered or uploaded incorrectly. Work Schedule: 07:30am-4:00pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications BASIC REQUIREMENTS. Citizenship. Candidates must be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). 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. Certification. Persons hired or reassigned to MRA positions in the GS-0669 series in VHA must meet one of the following: Mastery Certification RHIT, RHIA, CHDA through AHIMA. Mastery Coding certification from AAPC or AHIMA Health Data Analyst Certification through AAPC or AHIMA, which may include the following: Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) - Physician-based (CCS-P), Certified Professional Coder (CPC), Certified Outpatient Coder (COC), and Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC) Preferred Experience. Experience training HIM, clinical and administrative staff on HIM topics. Experience developing quality improvement projects regarding HIM topics. Experience working with EHR software: CPRS, VistA and/or Cerner. English Language Proficiency: MRAs must also be proficient in spoken and written English. See 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-5. None beyond basic requirements. Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve in an MRA career development position under close supervision. GS-7 Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. OR, Education. Applicants who meet the GS-5 grade level may be appointed at the GS-7 grade level, if they possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a major field of study in health information management, with an exemplary academic record as demonstrated by: A 3.0 or higher-grade point average (GPA) out of a possible 4.0 GPA ("B" or better), as recorded on their official transcript or as computed based on four years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum; OR A 3.5 GPA or higher out of a possible 4.0 GPA ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field of study, or the required courses completed in the major field of study during the final two years of the curriculum. In addition to the requirements above, candidates must also meet the following KSA's: Knowledge of current] classification systems, such as International Classification of Diseases, Current Procedural Terminology, and the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS). Ability to effectively communicate (written and verbal) with medical center staff, patients, and external entities. Ability to use data collection and analytical techniques for purposes of review, quality control, studies and analysis [of health information. Ability to utilize computer applications with varied functions to produce a wide range of reports, to abstract records, collect and analyze data and present results in various formats. Ability to work independently, adapt to shifting priorities, and meet deadlines. Assignment. Employees at this level serve in an MRA career development position with guidance from the supervisor or designee in day-to-day assignments. GS-9 Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics described at that level. OR, Education. Education equivalent to two full years of progressively higher level graduate education or a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited college or university in a field directly related to health information management. In addition to the requirements above, candidates must also meet the following KSA's: Knowledge of medical and legal requirements related to health information management and health records. Ability to provide technical advice and guidance on health information management practices. Skill in extracting data from various sources and analyzing health information to create reports. Skill in researching, interpreting, and applying health information management guidelines. Knowledge of performance and process improvement techniques to develop new or improved solutions in health information management. Assignments. Employees at this level serve in an MRA career development position with limited guidance, from the supervisor or designee, in day-to-day assignments. GS-11 Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates all of the KSAs described at that level. OR, Education. Education equivalent to three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited university or college in the field of health information management. In addition to the requirements above, candidates must also meet the following KSA's: Skill in performance and process improvement techniques to develop and implement new or improved solutions in health information management. Ability to advise management and staff, at various levels, regarding health record documentation requirements and health information management practices based on current industry standards, policies, statues, laws, and regulations. Ability to plan, justify, develop, evaluate, assess, monitor, and advise on current health information management processes and recommend changes in policies or procedures. Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal, ethical, and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies, as they apply to health information management. Ability to acquire, manage, analyze, interpret, and transform data into accurate, consistent, and meaningful information. References: VA Handbook 5005/130 PART II APPENDIX G33. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting and carrying (15-44lbs), both hands and eyes required, and prolonged sitting and use of computer screen. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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 Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.