This position is the Chief of the Health Information Management (HIM) section in the Health Administration Service (HAS) at the Salt Lake City VA Medical Center. The Chief of HIMs is responsible for management and direction of the HIM program which is designated as a complexity level 1a in the VHA Facility Complexity Level model, with full program management and supervisory responsibility to direct professional MRAs, technical MRTs, and other support staff in HIM.

Duties

Serves as Chief of Health Information Management (CHIM) with full program responsibility for all facets of the Health Information Management (HIM) program and processes. Ensures HIM program meets and/or exceeds national HIM policies, procedures, and performance metrics. Responsible for the administrative management of health records, which includes planning, managing, advising, and directing the health information program in accordance with applicable Federal laws, facility by-laws, VHA policy, The Joint Commission (TJC) standards, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and other regulatory and accrediting agency standards. Responsible for all facets of health records management for the facility ensuring maintenance of complete, accurate, timely, clinically-pertinent, and readily-accessible patient health records, which contain sufficient recorded information to serve as a basis to plan patient care, support diagnoses, warrant treatment, measure outcomes, support education and facilitate performance improvement processes and legal requirements. Develops policies, processes, and procedures that address all VA, Federal, regulatory, and accrediting requirements for HIM. Provides detailed technical expertise in health records science and other very technical aspects of HIM. Maintains all health information input into the local VistA database and assures timely transmission of that data into all VA centralized databases. Assures all health information that is coded and abstracted meets the requirements of the VA and/or TJC and is consistent with professional health records standards. Serves as a key advisor to the Chief of Staff, Executive Management, and clinicians and is responsible for providing technical guidance on health information issues such as documentation requirements, liability issues, advance directives, informed consent, release of information, transcription/speech recognition, health information exchange. .Completes internal quality assurance reviews to ensure employee performance and that work meets quality and quantity standards. Establishes monitors to ensure the timeliness of health record entries and reports findings with subsequent trending of data. Serves as a key member of the Quality Improvement (QI) team, works closely with QI personnel, and is responsible for assuring that the facility is compliant with all TJC standards regarding health information. Assures that all patients have a complete, accurate, and timely record of their health care at the facility. Must assure that such information is appropriately stored and readily available for the provision of medical services to the patients. Responsible for leading the automation of all health information systems. . Conducts training programs in various areas health information management, such as medical terminology, health record documentation, release of information, medico-legal matters, speech recognition/transcription, scanning, medical coding, clinical documentation improvement, and health information exchange. Responsible for establishing formal affiliation with university programs in health information and precepting students from such programs. Provides direct support to Regional Counsel and as necessary consultation services to members of the Counsel's staff in areas dealing with health information. Actively participates at national and VISN levels as a resource person on health information matters. Participates in facility or VISN research activities related to health information and electronic health record (EHR) issues. - -Provides full support to accomplish VHA Central Office HIM Program Office strategic goals and objectives. CHIM at this level has the full complement of HIM supervisory responsibility including coding, record completion, file room, scanning, release of information, and transcription and which consists of a mixture of HT38 (675 and 669) and T5 positions. Responsible for directing the operations of all personnel working within the HIM program and is regularly involved in labor relations and budget management. Participates in the recruitment, interview, selection, and orientation process of all HIM positions. Work Schedule: M-F, 7:30am -4:00pm, Open to negotiation with Service Chief on other Tour of Duty's (TOD). Telework: ADHOC, additional specified telework days can be negotiated at a later date for highly qualified candidates. Remote: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 53067-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

Requirements

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. Experience/Education Combination Equivalent combinations of [creditable] experience and education that equals 100 percent may be used to meet basic requirements. [For example, two years above high school from an accredited college or university, with 12 semester hours in health information technology/health information management, plus one year and six months of creditable experience that included the preparation, maintenance, and management of health records and health information systems meets an equivalent combination. -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. Grade Determinations: Medical Records Administrator-CHIM, GS-13 Experience One year of [creditable] experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) that demonstrates the KSAs described at that level. AND Certification Employees at this level must have a HIM Certification. GS-13 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with] legal, ethical and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies, as they apply to health information management. Ability to provide sound, technical guidance to staff [at various levels about major program, legal, or procedural changes related to health information management. Skill in revising facility policies and] procedures to improve health information management services and to evaluate, modify, and/or adapt new methods to meet regulatory requirements. Skill in analyzing complex data, interpreting and trending results for effective management of the HIM program. Skill in management/administration, which includes program planning, coordination, interpretation, supervision, consultation, negotiation, problem solving, and monitoring [of HIM processes. Ability to delegate authority, evaluate and oversee people and programs, accomplish program goals, and adapt to changing priorities Preferred Experience: None Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address VA Salt Lake City Health Care System 500 Foothill Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84148 US
• Name: VISN 19 HR Contact Center
• Phone: 719-227-4600
• Email: [email protected]