[Hiring] Medical Records Technician (Coder-Outpatient) @Dayton VA Medical Center

Role Description

The Dayton Ohio Veterans Affairs Medical Center is recruiting for a well-qualified Medical Records Technician (Coder- Outpatient) within the Health Information Management section. This position will perform the full scope of outpatient coding.

• Assigns codes to documented patient care encounters (outpatient and/or inpatient professional services).
• Applies advanced knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, disease processes, treatment modalities, diagnostic tests, medications, procedures, and health services principles to ensure proper code selection.
• Selects and assigns codes from the current versions of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), and/or Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS).
• Adheres to accepted coding practices, guidelines, and conventions to ensure ethical, accurate, and complete coding.
• Monitors ever-changing regulatory and policy requirements affecting coded information for the full spectrum of services provided by the VAMC.
• Performs a comprehensive review of the patient health record to abstract medical, surgical, ancillary, demographic, social, and administrative data.
• Assists facility staff with documentation requirements to accurately reflect patient care provided.
• Expertly searches the patient health record to find documentation justifying code assignment.
• Utilizes the facility computer system and software applications to correctly code, abstract, record, and transmit data to the national VA database in Austin.
• Orients and instructs new personnel and/or students on unit operations, coding, abstracting, and use of an electronic health record.
• Works within a team environment; supports peers in meeting goals and deadlines; flexible and handles multiple tasks.
• Conducts re-reviews of codes abstracted for outpatient encounters identified by the VERA committee; corrects coding as needed.
• Codes inpatient professional fee services for identified inpatient admissions.
• Establishes primary and secondary diagnosis and procedure codes for outpatient encounters.
• Codes all Operating Room procedures reported in the Surgical Package of the VistA hospital system.
• Reviews and codes assigned fee service outpatient encounters.
• Codes diagnoses from paper forms for VA registries.

Qualifications

• Creditable Experience: Experience must be directly related to the position and demonstrate the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs).
• Quality of Experience: Must be documented on the application or resume and verified in an employment reference.
• Part-Time Experience: Credit is given according to its relationship to the full-time work week.
• Basic Requirements:
  • United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
  • Experience: One year of creditable experience indicating knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, medical coding, and health records.
  • Education: An associate's degree from an accredited college or university in health information technology/management or related field.
  • Completion of an AHIMA approved coding program or other intense coding training program.
  • Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education are qualifying.
• Certification: Must have either Apprentice/Associate Level Certification, Mastery Level Certification, or Clinical Documentation Improvement Certification through AHIMA or AAPC.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English.

Requirements

• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
  • Ability to analyze the health record to identify all pertinent diagnoses and procedures for coding.
  • Ability to accurately perform the full scope of outpatient coding.
  • Skill in interpreting and adapting health information guidelines.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37-50 days of annual paid time off per year.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment.
• Child Care Subsidy for eligible employees after 60 days of employment.
• Traditional federal pension and federal 401K with up to 5% contributions by VA.
• Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care insurance options.
• This is a virtual position.