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Summary A Medical Records Administrative Specialist organizes, updates, and maintains patient health records, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, and compliance with regulations like HIPAA. Duties include, but are not limited to managing electronic health records (EHRs), processing requests for medical information, and coordinating with healthcare professionals, patients, and insurance companies within and outside the VA Medical Administration at the Cincinnati VAMC. Responsibilities The Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) is a two-division campus located in Cincinnati, OH and Fort Thomas, KY serving 15 counties in Southwest OH, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana with 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Bellevue, KY; Florence, KY; Lawrenceburg, IN; Hamilton, OH; Clermont County, OH, and Georgetown, OH. The CVAMC also supports two off main campus locations in the Cincinnati area via an Eye Center and Mental Health Outreach Community Division. The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Duties: Incumbent serves in a developmental capacity as technical specialist in health information related matters. Incumbent provides advice and guidance on the HIM program in relation to issues such as, but not limited, to documentation requirements for coding/billing, liability issues, advance directives, informed consent, scanning processes, release of information, and record control processes. Incumbent conducts research and coordinates projects and studies of record systems. Incumbent produces management reports from studies and develops an action plan. Incumbent determines the scope of the study, formulates a plan of action, and produces management reports. Incumbent analyzes work processes and recommends changes to improve performance. Incumbent assists in conducting quality assurance studies of health records. Incumbent assists in all areas of HIM to be able to provide suggestions on process improvement and turnaround times. Incumbent assists in writing health information policies and procedures to incorporate new or revised approaches to the management of health information while ensuring that regulatory requirements are maintained when revising policies and procedures. Incumbent compiles, reviews, abstracts, analyzes, and interprets medical/legal data incidental to a variety of patient care and treatment activities. Incumbent reviews the health record and discusses any documentation or incomplete items with the clinical staff to ensure a complete record for a variety of needs such as patient care, data collection and research, and to submit information to requesting insurance companies in an expeditious manner. Incumbent practices a high level of integrity and honesty in maintaining confidentiality. Complies with established departmental policies, procedures, and objectives. Incumbent follows established VHA and department policies, procedures, objectives, performance improvement, attendance, safety, environmental, and infection control guidelines, including adherence to the workplace Code of Conduct and Compliance Plan. Incumbent performs work related to all areas of HIM as well as collaborates with other departments within the medical center and VISN to improve performance and patient care. Incumbent reviews HIM processes and record review systems to maintain or improve turnaround time and the quality of data collection. Work schedule: Monday through Friday, Tour of duty to be discussed at the time of interview. Compressed/Flexible Schedule: To be discussed once all training has been complete and per the needs of the service. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 91856-A, 91857-A, 91858-A, 91859-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the position are generally minor, and the work is primarily sedentary in nature and usually occurs within climate controlled clinical and administrative settings. 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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. 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 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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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. Required: Certification: You must have one of the below: Coding Certification through AHIMA or AAPC. Mastery certification obtained through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) or the American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC). To be acceptable for qualification, the specific certification must represent a comprehensive competency in the occupation. Stand-alone specialty certifications do not meet the definition of mastery level coding certification and are not acceptable for qualifications. Certification titles may change and certifications that meet the definition of mastery level coding certification may be added/removed by the above certifying bodies; however, current mastery level coding certifications include: Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) - Physician-based (CCS-P), Certified Professional Coder (CPC), Certified Outpatient Coder (COC), and Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC); OR HIM Certification through AHIMA. Higher-level health information management certification is limited to certification obtained through AHIMA. To be acceptable for qualifications, the specific certification must represent a comprehensive competency in the occupation. Certification titles may change and certifications that meet the definition of HIM certification may be added/removed by the above certifying body; however, current HIM certifications include Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA); OR Health Data Analyst Certification through AHIMA. This is limited to certification obtained through AHIMA. To be acceptable for qualifications, the specific certification must certify mastery in health data analysis. Certification titles may change and certifications that meet the definition of health data analyst certification may be added/removed by the above certifying body; however, current health data analyst certification includes Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA). Minimum Requirement for GS-7 Level: Experience or Education: You must have one of the following: Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level; OR Education: Successful completion of 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. Candidates must also demonstrate all of the knowledge, skills, and abilities below: 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. Minimum Requirement for GS-9 Level: Experience or Education: You must have one of the following: Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics described at that level; OR Education: Successful completion of 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. Candidates must also demonstrate all of the knowledge, skills, and abilities below: 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. Minimum Requirement for GS-11 Level: Experience or Education: You must have one of the following: Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics described at that level; OR Education: Successful completion of 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. Candidates must also demonstrate all of the knowledge, skills, and abilities below: 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. 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. 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.