Medical Records Administrator-Chief of Health Information Management

Description:

This position is located in the Health Information Management Section of Health Administration at the Fort Harrison VA Health Care System. Medical Records Administrators in VHA perform or supervise work concerned with the management of a health record program or the provision of services related to medical record administration/health information services. MRAs manage, preserve, analyze, and supervise the use of diagnostic and therapeutic health records/health information management.

Requirements:

***This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until February 24th, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be December 8th, 2025, with subsequent cut-off dates on the 1st of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.***

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 must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education or Experience:

(1) 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
(2) 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.
OR
(3) 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:

(1)Coding Certification through AHIMA or AAPC.
NOTE . See paragraph 2a above for a detailed definition of Coding Certification.
OR,
(2) HIM Certification through AHIMA.
NOTE . See paragraph 2d above for a detailed definition of HIM Certification.
OR,
(3) Health Data Analyst Certification through AHIMA.
NOTE . See paragraph 2c above for a detailed definition of Health Data Analyst Certification.
NOTE. HIMs Certification is required for all positions above the full performance level.

Grade Determinations :
Medical Records Administrator (Chief (CHIM)), GS-12
Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates the KSAs described at that level.
AND

Certification: Employees at this level must have a HIM Certification
NOTE. See paragraph 2d of this appendix for detailed definitions of HIM Certification.
AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal, ethical, and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies, as they apply to health information management.
2. Skill in evaluating, developing, and implementing new policies, procedures, and programs.
3. Ability to provide program oversight, including advisory and technical expertise on a range of health information management practices and guidelines to staff at various levels.
4. Ability to develop and conduct training on health information management programs, policies, procedures, and performance improvement activities.
5. Ability to effectively procure and manage HIM resources (i.e. space, staffing, education, budget, etc.).
6. Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties to include assignment of work; completing performance evaluations; selection of staff; and recommendation of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.
7. Customer service skills necessary to effectively communicate (written and verbal) and interact with all levels of hospital personnel, physicians, patients, and outside agencies.
8. Ability to deal effectively with sensitive and/or complex situations.

Preferred Experience:

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.