Assistant chief - health information management

Summary

This position is located in the Health Information Management (HIM) Section of Health Administration Service (HAS) at the Salisbury VA Health Care System. Medical Records Administrators (MRAs) in VHA perform or supervise work concerned with the management of a health record program or the provision of services related to medical record administration/health information services.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to: The incumbent serves as the Assistant Chief of Health Information Management (ACHIM) in a medical facility of high complexity (level 1), with responsibility for the supervision of all HIM functions. Incumbent is charged with full responsibility, both technical and administrative, for the daily operation of the HIM department which consists of all functions of health record activities related to medical coding, clinical documentation integrity, health record documentation analysis, transcription/speech recognition, release of information, file room, scanning and indexing, and health information exchange.

The incumbent shares responsibility with the CHIM for collecting and processing data for various reports, surveys, and research projects; for preparing reports and making recommendations for review and consideration by the Chief, HAS and upper management concerning the immediate needs as well as the long term goals of the HIM department; for recommending equipment and staffing needs; and for preparing and updating policies, standard operating procedures, and training guides.

Responsible for assisting physicians and other health professionals in obtaining health record information to be used in research projects. Advises on what data is available, how it may be obtained, and the uses that can be made of the information while protecting the confidentiality of the record. The incumbent aids in a variety of projects and is responsible for screening, abstracting and tallying data from health records and computer-generated reports. Serves as a consultant providing guidance and advising researchers on methods for gathering health information and health record data. Assists in retrospective health record review/data abstraction projects to support medical center Quality Management data collection activities.

Consistently conducts audits and monitors for all areas of responsibility, ensuring accurate and timely data is processed by all employees. Reviews completed work and assesses quality, quantity, accuracy, and timeliness of work produced by each employee and provides constructive feedback. Ascertains problems encountered, develops performance improvement plans, and recommends personnel actions as necessary. Work is of an analytical, evaluative, and creative nature, and incumbent is responsible for keeping abreast of constant changes in the health information field as well as allied health fields and applying the information and knowledge gathered to the operations of the hospital.

Incumbent assists the CHIM in the effective administration and planning of HIM program throughout all areas of the facility to provide maximum support to staff in the treatment of patients and the facility's research programs. Activities must be accomplished in compliance with appropriate directives and requirements of VA/VHA Regulations, Medical Center Memoranda, and accreditation requirements such as The Joint Commission (TJC) and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) standards.

Participates in various facility, VISN and national committees requiring HIM subject matter expertise. Prepares reports and presents data to the committee(s). Responsible for developing and updating policies pertaining to committee functions, health record reviews, and HIM activities. Ensures that health record review activities are consistent with the requirements established by VHA handbooks, program guides, fact sheets, and directives, and are in compliance with TJC standards and Scoring Guidelines, CARF, Behavioral Health, and the Office of Inspector General (OIG). Advises committees, management and staff on adequate health record documentation, health information services, and EHR practices based on current policies, regulations, and industry standards. May coordinate Medical/Health Record Committee (or equivalent) meetings. Assists in coordinating/completing routine and non-routine reports. Assists physicians and other health care professionals with research projects and education related to VHA HIM processes/procedures.

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telework

This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives

May be authorized for highly qualified candidates.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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.
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether 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: MRAs must be proficient in spoken and written English. See 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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.

Certification: Persons hired or reassigned to MRA positions in the GS-0669 series in VHA must meet one of the following: Coding Certification through AHIMA or AAPC. OR, HIM Certification through AHIMA. OR, Health Data Analyst Certification through AHIMA. NOTE. HIMs Certification is required for all positions above the full performance level. (This position is above the full performance level.)

Physical Requirements

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

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for 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.