MEDICAL RECORDS TECHNICIAN (ROI)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 38,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Medical Records Technician (ROI) at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center.

The role reviews and processes requests for protected health information (PHI) and provides copies to Veterans or authorized third parties upon proper written request or authorization. Applicants must meet basic requirements including citizenship, experience with medical terminology and health records, and HIIM-related education; multiple grade levels GS-4 to GS-6 are described,

Qualifications

• One year of creditable experience in medical terminology and health records.
• Six months of the required one year experience.
• Associate's degree with HIIM major or related degree with minimum HIIM coursework.
• Education/experience combinations allowed per substitutions.

Responsibilities

• Reviews and processes requests for PHI in accordance with privacy laws.
• Provides copies of PHI to veterans or authorized third parties upon valid request or authorization.
• Serves as MRT (ROI) with customer service to veterans and third parties.

Skills

Medical terminology

HIPAA/privacy laws

Privacy & ROI

Health information management

Prioritization

Communication skills

Education

Associate's degree in health information technology/health information management

Bachelor's degree in health information management or related, with 24 sem hours in HIIM

Job description

This position is located in the Health Information Management (HIM) section at the Celment J. Zablocki VA Medical Center. 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

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience and Education.
• 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); 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.

Grade Determinations

Medical Records Technician (ROI), GS-4

Experience or Education. None beyond basic requirements.

Medical Records Technician (ROI), GS-5

Experience. GS-5 Level Experience or Education: Possess at least 1 year of creditable experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-4); OR,
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).
In addition, must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(a) 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.);
(b) Knowledge of health record documentation guidelines and processes for disclosing protected health information;
(c) Ability to manage priorities and coordinate work in order to complete duties within required timeframes, and the ability to follow-up on pending issues;
(d) knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, and regulations governing privacy and release of information;
(e) Ability to communicate with individuals from various backgrounds to obtain the desired effect or gaining information by establishing rapport. Transcripts required if qualifying based on Education.

Medical Records Technician (ROI), GS-6

Experience. GS-6 Level Experience: I possess at least one full year of creditable experience as an MRT (ROI) to the next lower level (GS-5) which demonstrates the KSAs related to the duties of the position to be filled. Creditable experience must demonstrate skill in applying, interpreting, and analyzing laws and regulations related to the disclosure of health information; educating requestors on requirements for submitting requests for health information; receiving and validating authorization forms and request; using various computer applications to track and release authorized ROI requests initiate and maintain the accounting of disclosure for records disclosed from a Privacy Act system of records.
In addition, must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(a) 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);
(b) 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;
(c) Ability to apply policies, procedures, laws, and regulations governing privacy and release of information to process requests for release of information;
(d) Ability to research and solve difficult questions related to release of health information in an accurate and timely manner.

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-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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.