Medical Records Technician - Release of Information - ROI

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Danville (VA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in the VA Illiana Health Care System (VAIHCS) seeks a Medical Records Technician (ROI) to review and process requests for patient PHI. This role involves providing copies of PHI to veterans or third parties upon valid requests and ensuring compliance with privacy regulations.

Applicants must meet education and experience requirements, with transcripts required. Non-citizens may be referred if qualified citizens are not available.

Qualifications

• One year of creditable experience with medical terminology and general understanding of health records.
• Six months of required experience in MRT (ROI) duties.
• Education options including associate or bachelor’s with required coursework; transcripts required.
• Military or armed forces health information training may substitute for experience with transcripts required.

Responsibilities

• Review and process requests for PHI in MRT (ROI) duties.
• Provide copies of PHI to veterans or authorized third parties.
• Offer direct customer service for PHI requests.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure compliance with privacy laws.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders and track disclosures.

Skills

Medical terminology

HIPAA privacy

Records management

Customer service

Education

Associate degree in health information technology/health information management

Bachelor's degree in health information management or related with 24 semester hours

Job description

This position is in the Health Information Management (HIM) section at the VA Illiana Health Care System (VAIHCS). The MRT (ROI) reviews and processes requests for patient protected health information (PHI). The MRT (ROI) also provides direct customer service to the Veteran (or third party), by providing copies of the Veteran's PHI, when a signed, written request is received, or upon the Veteran's valid authorization to a third party. 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:

English Language Proficiency: 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 and general understanding of health records. Six months of the required one year of creditable experience must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to perform MRT (ROI) work.

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 (e.g., courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, legal aspects of health care, and introduction to health records). TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED.

OR Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education are qualifying towards meeting basic experience requirements. The following experience and educational/training substitutions are appropriate for combining education and creditable experience: (a) Six months of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, privacy and release of information, the health record, and one year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health information technology/health information management courses. (b) Six months of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, privacy and release of information, the health record, and successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces or the U.S. Maritime Service under close medical and professional supervision. The training program may be substituted on a month for-month basis for up to six months of experience provided the training program included courses in anatomy and physiology, and health record techniques and procedures. TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED.

Grade Determination

In addition to the basic requirements above the following is the amount of experience required to qualify for this position at the GS-4 through GS-6 grade level.

GS-4 Entry Level: None beyond the basic requirements above.

GS-5 Level: Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level;

OR Education: Successful completion of a bachelor'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 management, or a related degree with a minimum of 24 semester hours in health information technology/health information management (e.g., courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, legal aspects of health care, and introduction to health records). TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED.

AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's):

• Ability to utilize health information technology and various office software products utilized in MRT (ROI) positions (e.g., the electronic health record, release of information systems, etc.).
• Knowledge of health record documentation guidelines and processes for disclosing protected health information.
• Ability to manage priorities and coordinate work in order to complete duties within required timeframes, and the ability to follow-up on pending issues.
• Knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, and regulations governing privacy and release of information.
• Ability to communicate with individuals from various backgrounds to obtain the desired effect or gaining information by establishing rapport.

GS-6 Level Experience:

At least one full year experience as a MRT (ROI) equivalent to the next lower level (GS-5) which demonstrates the KSAs related to the duties of the position to be filled. Experience at this level includes, but is not limited to: receiving and validating authorization forms and requests for information and prioritizing requests according to policies and regulations; utilizing various computer applications to track and release all authorized release of information requests; processing and releasing health information to authorized first- and third-party requestors; initiating and maintaining accounting of disclosure for all records disclosed from a Privacy Act system of records; communicating with internal and external stakeholders to provide technical expertise regarding the release of information process; ensuring compliance with policies, procedures, laws, and regulations governing privacy and release of information.

AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's):

• Knowledge of the laws and regulations related to the authorization and disclosure of health information (e.g., Privacy Act, Freedom of Information Act, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and 38 U.S.C. § 7332, Confidentiality of Certain Medical Records).
• Ability to apply health record documentation guidelines and processes to navigate efficiently through the paper and/or electronic health record to locate, assemble, and disclose protected health information.
• Ability to apply policies, procedures, laws, and regulations governing privacy and release of information to process requests for release of information.
• Ability to research and solve difficult questions related to release of health information in an accurate and timely manner.

Full performance level of a Medical Record Technician (ROI) is a GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-4 to GS-6.

Physical Requirements

The work is sedentary, but may require walking, bending, standing, and /or carrying of light items such as files and manuals. The work does not require any special physical effort or ability.

Work Environment

The work area is usually an adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated office or medical facility setting. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions.

Reference

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