[Hiring] Supervisory Medical Records Technician - Coder @Lebanon VA Medical Center

Role Description

This position serves the Consolidated Coding Service Center which is located at the Lebanon VA Medical Center in Lebanon, PA.

The Supervisory Medical Record Technician (Outpatient) (Consolidated Coding Unit (CCU)) provides oversight of a group of Medical Record Technicians Coders, with administrative responsibility for planning and directing the work of subordinate staff. 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 alphanumeric codes for each diagnosis and procedure.

• Collaboratively work with the Chief HIM at each facility within the assigned region/network to coordinate work related to the consolidated coding unit and resolve any problems which could impede the progress of the unit.
• Coordinate and maintain effective communication with the medical centers and CPAC within an assigned region/network to accomplish coding assignments for the consolidated coding unit.
• Evaluate the performance of subordinate staff, approve sick and annual leave requests, identify educational or training needs, resolve employee complaints, and take disciplinary actions.
• Inform higher level management of anticipated vacancies or increases in workload.
• Recommend employees for promotions, reassignments, recognitions, retention or release of probationary employees, or other changes of assigned personnel.
• Make decisions on the selection of employees for vacant or new positions.
• Serve as an expert coding resource to ensure accuracy and integrity of all coding.
• Collaborate with revenue, compliance, and other departments to support coding accuracy that is consistent with the official guidelines for coding and reporting.
• Resolve claim edits referred to coding management and monitor reports for outstanding services, rejects, or uncoded discharges for inpatients and/or outpatients.
• Resolve claim denials related to coding errors and ensure coding corrections and rebilling, as required. Provide education to clinical and coding staff.
• Assess current audit findings activities and evaluate impact to coding and documentation practices.
• Oversee the reporting of coding and documentation audit results to leadership.
• Collect and prepare data for studies involving inpatient stays and outpatient encounters for clinical evaluation purposes, prepare and maintain a variety of complex records and daily, monthly, or "on demand" reports, as requested.
• Create and monitor outpatient reports, inpatient case mix reports, top DRGs, and key performance indicators to identify patterns, trends, and variations, investigate and evaluate potential causes for changes or problems, and take appropriate steps, in collaboration with the appropriate staff, to effect resolution or explain variances.
• Participate in the formulation of objectives and strategies using coded data to support goals for patient care, teaching, research, and optimizing management of resources.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

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.
• 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 health records.
• Education: An associate's degree from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. DOE 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.
• 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.
• Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education are qualifying for meeting the basic requirements.

Requirements

• Must have either an AHIMA or AAPC Apprentice/Associate Level Certification or Mastery Level Certification.
• MRTs (Coder) must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Must meet all of the following requirements for the GS-10 Supervisory MRT (Coder) (CCU).
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities including the ability to perform a full range of supervisory duties, advanced knowledge of current coding classification systems, and leadership and managerial skills.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37-50 days of annual paid time off per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
• 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.
• 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.
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care insurance options.