Job Summary

Directs the Health Information Management (HIM) Department and health information management services across the healthcare organization.

Essential Functions

• Responsible for the selection, orientation, training, counseling and mentoring of department leadership staff and other direct reports.
• Assists the Human Resources Department in identifying characteristics and qualifications for each position within the Department.
• Maintains adequate and competent staffing levels in accordance with hospital policies and procedures, including employment, training, salary and wage administration policies.
• Schedules staff to ensure adequate coverage of the Department.
• Prepares evaluations of staff's performance.
• Makes recommendations for promotions as well as disciplinary actions to ensure maximum utilization of the individual and team's capabilities.
• Ensures that department staff have opportunities to further knowledge and maintain their skills at an optimal level.
• Routinely communicates with team members to keep them abreast of policy, procedure and other operation changes within the hospital and the department.
• Monitors health information management systems, services, and staff performance to ensure data quality and integrity.
• Provides education and training to hospital staff in areas relevant to health information management policies and procedures.
• Identifies and analyzes the design of jobs, work processes, workflows for HIM records processing and implements appropriate changes to improve effectiveness, efficiency and productivity to support the overall goals of the organization.
• Serves on standing and ad hoc medical, administrative, and department leadership committees, and serves as a resource to other hospital departments to resolve problems that arise both within and outside of HIM.
• Abides by the AHIMA Code of Ethics.
• Works collaboratively with physicians and other caregivers to obtain complete documentation to support the services claimed and facilitate communication between caregivers.
• Effectively works with peer departments including, but not limited to, case management, performance improvement, finance and patient financial services.
• Responds to requests for various statistic and planning reports from Administration.
• Serves as a resource for other departments, physicians, and administration to obtain information of clarification on coding, documentation standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Provides professional HIM oversight to departments that contain a health information management function that is decentralized from the health information management department.
• Prepares annual budget and capital requests.
• Monitors expenditures for the department to ensure expenditures remain within budget guidelines or are otherwise justified.
• Responsible for department resource planning, equipment evaluations and purchases including hardware and software, and identification and selection of educational programs and tools to maintain the skills of the staff, and identify physical plant changes necessary to accommodate the needs of the department.
• Reviews, evaluates and updates departmental position descriptions, policies and procedures annually as necessary to comply with Hospital, regulatory, licensing, accrediting, billing, and coding requirements.
• Completes biweekly payroll for HIM Supervisors.
• Tracks PTO requests and occurrence violations; provides counseling as necessary for attendance policy violations.
• Keeps abreast of federal compliance and state regulations pertinent to the department's functions.
• Monitors department activities to ensure compliant performance.
• Nurtures a cooperative relationship with the medical and nursing staffs and others; acts in a timely manner to initiate corrective actions when necessary.
• Effectively directs and manages the daily operations of the HIM department.
• Any other duties as needed to drive to the Vision, fulfill the Mission, and abide by the Values of the organization.

Qualifications

• Associate's Degree required.
• Bachelor's Degree preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years in technical field required.
• Minimum of 5 years supervision experience preferred.
• RHIT - Registered Health Information Technician Upon Hire required.
• RHIA - Registered Health Information Administrator Upon Hire required.