[Hiring] Supervisory Medical Records Technician (Coder) @Veterans Health Administration

Role Description

This Supervisory Medical Records Technician (Coder) is in the Health Information Management (HIM) section at the Ralph H. Johnson 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.

The Supervisory Medical Records Technician (Coder) provides oversight of coding staff at the facility level. The incumbent must be able to perform all duties of a Medical Records Technician (Coder) and is responsible for the supervision, administrative management, and direction of coding staff. The duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Monitor ever-changing regulatory and policy requirements affecting coded information for the full spectrum of services provided by the VAMC.
• Review coding and assist coders in improving coding accuracy; provide coding guidance to various levels of staff to promote consistency in practice and compliance with coding rules and regulations; initiate various reports and analyze data; and coordinate, assign, and monitor the workflow.
• Keep abreast of all regulations and guidelines governing the coding section, ensuring that staff supervised is educated as needed. Ensure that regulatory guidelines and current coding conventions are followed.
• Monitor the status and progress of work and day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities. Instruct employees in specific tasks and job techniques and make available written instructions, reference materials, and supplies.
• Develop performance standards and conduct performance evaluations for subordinate staff. Interview new employees, recommend selection, and carry out training and development of reassignments, awards, or disciplinary action.
• Schedule the sequence of work and operations on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis to assure even workflow and distribution, expeditious handling of priorities, and the meeting of deadlines.
• Prepare workload and production reports; report on operations and problems encountered; and present proposed requests for resource needs based on past experience, anticipated staffing, equipment, and space.
• Analyze and recommend improvements in documentation systems used to provide patient care to optimize VERA workload, third-party reimbursement, and to manage resources.
• Required to train others on the encoder product suite. Utilize this system on an ongoing basis to perform core coding duties and audits.

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.
• 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: Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• OR, Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education are qualifying for meeting the basic requirements.
• Certification: Mastery Level Certification through AHIMA or AAPC. You MUST upload proof of certification to support your response.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Benefits

• A comprehensive benefits package is available for federal employees.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent.