Medical Records Technician (HIT)

The Medical Records Technician Health Information Technician (HIT) is located in the Health Administration Service within the Truman VA Medical Center in Columbia, MO.

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.
• Language: MRTs HIT must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Experience: One year of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and a general understanding of health records. Six months of the required one year of creditable experience must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to perform MRT HIT work.OR,
• 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, physiology, legal aspects of health care, and introduction to health records).OR,
• Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education are qualifying towards meeting basic experience requirements. The following educational/training substitutions are appropriate for combining education and creditable 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. (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 U.S. Armed Forces or the U.S. Maritime Service, under close medical and professional supervision, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to six months of experience, provided the training program included courses in anatomy, physiology, and health record techniques and procedures.

GRADE DETERMINATION:
Medical Records Technician (HIT), GS-4
None beyond the basic requirements.

Medical Records Technician (HIT), GS-5
(1) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower level. OR,
(2) Education. A bachelor'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 management, or a related degree with a minimum of 24 semester hours in health information technology/health information management (e.g., courses in medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, legal aspects of health care, and introduction to health records)

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external customers.
(b) Ability to utilize health information technology and various office software products used in health information management positions (e.g., Microsoft Excel, electronic health records, and delinquency tracking software).
(c) Knowledge of health record documentation guidelines and industry standards.
(d) Ability to manage priorities and coordinate work to complete duties within required timeframes.
(e) Ability to apply knowledge of medical terminology and human anatomy to fully understand the content of a health record.

Medical Records Technician (HIT), GS-6
Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Ability to navigate efficiently through the health record to locate needed information.
(b) Ability to analyze health record documentation to ensure compliance with guidelines and industry standards.
(c) Skill in investigating potential health record errors and making corrections, when appropriate.
(d) Skill in interpreting and applying health information guidelines and using

Medical Records Technician (HIT), GS-7
Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Ability to judge whether health records contain sufficient information for regulatory requirements, are acceptable as legal documents, are adequate for continuity of patient care, and support education and research needs.
(b) Ability to take appropriate actions if health record content is not adequate, accurate, timely, and/or reliable.
(c) Ability to communicate both orally and in writing with individuals or groups, to facilitate compliance with established policies and regulations.
(d) Skill in using appropriate software and computer applications to analyze and record documentation trends.
(e) Ability to apply qualitative and/or quantitative methods for assessment and improvement of health records.
(f) Ability to work independently and utilize problem-solving techniques in the accomplishment of work.


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).

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-4. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-4 to GS-7.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

Responsibilities:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

This position is located in the Health Information Management (HIM) section at the Harry S. Truman Memorial VA Hospital Columbia MO. Health Information Technicians (HITs) review, analyze, abstract, compile, maintain, and extract information from the health record. They also check for completeness and accuracy of the health record, and monitor and report for regulatory compliance. Additional duties include, but are not limited to:

• Serve as a technical expert in health record content and documentation requirements.
• Perform quantitative and qualitative reviews of health record documentation.
• Ensure that all patient care data entered is accurate, timely, and completed.
• Review records for adherence with guidelines related to student, resident supervision and attending physician presence and documentation.
• Compile reports to ensure provider specific and service compliance,
• Maintain a control system to ensure completion of all inpatient and outpatient records.
• Identify health record deficiencies, track deficiencies and ensure that the appropriate individual completes their deficiencies.
• Expedite the completion of the health record when the patient is transferred for care at another medical center, for legal requests, regulatory agencies review and reimbursement purposes.
• Assess the paper health record and electronic record for completeness and note deficiencies.
• Prepare complex weekly and monthly reports noting the status of all incomplete/delinquent records and compliance reports and submits the reports to the appropriate administrative and clinical staff.
• Identify, review, verify, and correct all statistical data concerning medical transcription.
• Apply comprehensive knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, disease processes, treatment modalities, diagnostic tests, medications, procedures as well as the principles and practices of health services and the organizational structure to ensure proper code selection.
• Work with interdisciplinary staff to solve problems regarding proper health record documentation and completion.
• Develop quality improvement initiatives to improve how medical records are entered into the system, maintained, and retired appropriately

Work Schedule: Full Time; Monday - Friday; 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
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 #: 000000 Medical Records Technician (HIT)
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Salary : $417