Medical Records Technician (Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist (Out/Inpatient))

Summary

This position is located in the Health Information Management (HIM) section at the Kansas City VA Medical Center. MRTs (Coder) are skilled in classifying medical data from patient health records in the hospital setting - and/or physician-based settings - such as physician offices - group practices - multi-specialty clinics - and specialty centers. These coding practitioners analyze and abstract patients' health records - and assign alpha-numeric codes for each diagnosis and procedure.

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
• Experience
• One year of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology - anatomy - physiology - pathophysiology - medical coding - and the structure and format of a health records
• 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 and physiology - medical coding - and introduction to health records)
• OR Completion of an AHIMA approved coding program - or other intense coding training program of approximately one year or more that included courses in anatomy and physiology - medical terminology - basic ICD diagnostic/procedural - and basic CPT coding
• The training program must have led to eligibility for coding certification/certification examination - and the sponsoring academic institution must have been accredited by a national U.S. Department of Education accreditor - or comparable international accrediting authority at the time the program was completed
• OR Experience/Education Combination
• Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education are qualifying for meeting the basic requirements
• The following educational/training substitutions are appropriate for combining education and creditable experience: Six months of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology - general understanding of medical coding and the health record - and one year above high school - with a minimum of 6 semester hours of health information technology courses
• OR Successful completion of a course for medical technicians - hospital corpsmen - medical service specialists - or hospital training obtained in a training program given by the 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
• Also - requires six additional months of creditable experience that is paid or non-paid employment equivalent to a MRT (Coder)
• 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)
• Certification - Employees at this level must have either a mastery level certification or a clinical documentation improvement certification
• Do you possess one of the following required certifications? (Proof of certification must be provided at the time of application): Mastery Level Certification through AHIMA or AAPC
• Current mastery level certifications include: Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) - Certified Coding Specialist - Physician-based (CCS-P) - Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) - Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) - Certified Professional Coder (CPC) - Certified Outpatient Coder (COC) - Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC)
• OR Clinical Documentation Improvement Certification through AHIMA or ACDIS
• Current Clinical Documentation Improvement Certifications include: Clinical Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP) and Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist
• GS-9 Experience Requirement: In addition to the basic requirements - you must possess the following: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the journey grade level (GS-8) of a MRT (Coder-Outpatient and Inpatient)
• OR - An associate's degree or higher and three years of experience in clinical documentation improvement (candidates must also have successfully completed coursework in medical terminology - anatomy and physiology - medical coding - and introduction to health records)
• OR - Mastery level certification through AHIMA or AAPC and two years of experience in clinical documentation improvement
• OR - Clinical experience - such as Registered Nurse (RN) - Medical Doctor (M.D.) - or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) - and one year of experience in clinical documentation improvement
• Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: For the Medical Records Technician (Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist (CDIS-Outpatient & Inpatient)) - GS-9 - in addition to the basic requirements - certificate requirement - and grade requirements
• the candidates must be able to demonstrate the following knowledge - skills - and abilities: Knowledge of coding and documentation concepts - guidelines - and clinical terminology
• Knowledge of anatomy and physiology - pathophysiology - and pharmacology in order to interpret and analyze all information in a patient's health record - including laboratory and other test results - to identify opportunities for more precise and/or complete documentation in the health record
• Ability to collect and analyze data and present results in various formats - which may include presenting reports to various organizational levels
• Ability to establish and maintain strong verbal and written communication with providers
• Knowledge of regulations that define healthcare documentation requirements - including The Joint Commission - CMS - and VA guidelines
• Extensive knowledge of coding rules and regulations - to include current clinical classification systems such as ICDCM and PCS - CPT - and HCPCS
• They must also possess knowledge of complication or comorbidity/major complication or comorbidity (CC/MCC) - MS-DRG structure - and POA indicators
• Knowledge of severity of illness - risk of mortality - complexity of care for inpatients - and CPT Evaluation and Management (E/M) criteria to ensure the correct selection of E/M codes that match patient type - setting of service - and level of E/M service provided for outpatients
• Knowledge of training methods and teaching skills sufficient to conduct continuing education for staff development
• The training sessions may be technical in nature or may focus on teaching techniques for the improvement of clinical documentation issues
• Preferred Experience: 2-3 years of concurrent or retrospective CDI experience in an inpatient/outpatient acute care facility
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 9.
  
  

Duties

• The Medical Records Technician (Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist) (CDIS) is located within the Health Information Management Section (HIMS) of the Business Operations Service (BOS) at the Kansas City VA Medical Center (KCVAMC).Incumbent provides quantitative and qualitative review and analysis of medical records and encounter forms of both inpatient and outpatient encounters to ensure all diagnoses and conditions for which care is being rendered are documented by the provider in the proper sequence - and procedures have been documented and/or evaluation and management services
• Major Duties include - but are not limited to: Responsible for reviewing the overall quality and completeness of clinical documentation Applies comprehensive knowledge of medical terminology - anatomy & physiology - disease processes - treatment modalities - diagnostic tests - medications - procedures Reviews clinical documentation and provides education to clinical staff on both inpatient and outpatient episodes of care including admissions and discharges - observation - emergency department/urgent care - and clinic visits Prepare and conduct provider education on documentation processes in the health record to include the impact of documentation on coding - workload - quality measures - reimbursement - and funding Monitors ever-changing regulatory and policy requirements affecting coded information Develops and conducts seminars - workshops - short courses - informational briefings - and conferences concerned with health record documentation - educational and functional training requirements Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
• 730-1600 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) 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: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU VA Careers - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: https://youtube.com/embed/U_xC25QsN0w VA Careers - Microbiology/Molecular Medical Technologist: https://youtube.com/embed/eSDGhIwZKdw VA Careers - Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist: https://youtube.com/embed/I-4ku5UMvWM VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo VA Careers - Lead Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/UJO_XH5uCLs VA Careers - Licensed Practical Nurse: https://youtube.com/embed/Ae85IP1Oiz4 VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9Xck Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional