Him Specialist, Call Center

HIM Specialist

Why UT Southwestern?

With over 75 years of excellence in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, UT Southwestern is committed to excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion. As a world-renowned medical and research center, we strive to provide the best possible care, resources, and benefits for our valued employees. Ranked as the #1 hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth for the sixth consecutive year, we invite you to continue your healthcare career with us at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital. You'll discover a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and consistent opportunities for learning and advancement into leadership roles.

All full-time employees will have a robust benefits package including employer paid medical insurance. Children and family medical insurance plans are available at a cost to the employee.

UT Southwestern is honored to be a Veteran Friendly work environment that is home to approximately 800 veterans. We value your integrity, dedication, and the commitment you've made to our country. We're proud to support your next mission.

To learn more about the benefits UT Southwestern offers visit https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/employees/hr-resources/ .

Job Summary

The Health Information Management (HIM) department is a high-profile department within the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. We boast a large 104-member department with supporting 2 hospitals and 50+ clinics and growing. Our team is growing! We currently have an HIM Specialist job opportunity. The incumbent is responsible for assisting with the daily functions involving the collection, processing, maintenance, disclosure, and transportation of protected patient health information via paper and/or electronic format in a manner that complies with organizational, departmental, and regulatory requirements. Additionally, the HIM Specialist participates as an essential member of the Health Information Management Department by ensuring that an individual's health data and information is accurate, complete, accessible, confidential, and secure.

Job Duties

RECORD MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS:

• Performs various detailed and technical tasks to input and/or retrieve /release patient information while ensuring patient health information is complete, accurate, timely, and compliant.
• Verifies updates, maintains, and retrieves patient health information in paper and/or electronic format for authorized personnel.
• Protects the privacy and security of medical records to ensure that confidentiality is maintained.

EMPI FUNCTIONS:

• Monitors data integrity, research/merges duplicate medical records, and identify/correct patient overlays according to established protocols.
• Performs patient name and/or demographic changes and follow the "Marking Patients Deceased" processes as appropriate.

SCANNING FUNCTIONS:

• Prepares, scans, and indexes protected patient health information documentation in the electronic medical record.

• Follows strict quality measures of documents scanned into the electronic medical record.

ROI FUNCTIONS:

• Timely correspond to requests for release of protected patient health information by receipt via walk-in, telephone, written, and referral while ensuring the appropriate information is released.
• Executes the timely and accurate uploading and burning of external CDs/DVDs and/or printing and digitizing of films upon request.
• Performs various radiology film library functions upon request including calling and corresponding with patients and other department staff via in-person, telephone, email, or fax.
• Reviews patient health information, process requests (in paper and/or electronic format) for medical records and coordinate the release of other types of records that comply with organizational and departmental standards, along with HIPAA regulations.
• Answer and handle inbound calls according to department standards while providing outstanding customer service.
• Documents and routes customer communications appropriately.
• Triage and problem solve basic concerns utilizing department procedures to meet and exceed customer's needs.

TRANSCRIPTION FUNCTIONS (REFERRAL LETTERS):

• Monitors and processes Referral Letters in the EPIC letter queue.
• Ensures all notes are attached to letters.
• Reviews Communication Manager for CC's to be sent.
• Reviews EPIC Phonebook to verify/update/create new letter recipients.
• Works RightFax for any failed faxes.
• Mails referral letters and notes to recipients marked in EPIC phonebook with preferred communication method of Mail.
• Reassigns referral letters back to clinic if issues arise needing the clinic's input.
• Keeps track of daily/monthly production totals to ensure baseline production requirements are met on a monthly basis.
• Ensures quality standards are met by meeting quality guidelines on a monthly basis.

INPATIENT FUNCTIONS:

• Re-analyzes medical records for completeness and applies deficiencies as needed.
• Responsible for coordinating the weekly suspension process.
• Responsible for coordinating the daily operative scheduling suspension process.
• Reports Performance Improvement audit results to all designated staff.
• Responsible for prep and analysis for discharged patients.

GENERAL FUNCTIONS:

• Cultivates a shared vision for the department that is consistent with the UT Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) vision and strategic initiatives by upholding the departmental Specialist expectations, customer service, professionalism, standards, processes, and other departmental strategies.
• Duties performed may include one or more of the following core functions:
  • Directly interacting with or caring for patients.
  • Directly interacting with or caring for human-subjects research participants.
  • Regularly maintaining, modifying, releasing, or similarly affecting patient records (including patient financial records).
  • Regularly maintaining, modifying, releasing, or similarly affecting human-subjects research records.
• Performs other duties as assigned by management.

Experience and Education

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• One (1) year health care experience. Additional education in HIM, Business or related field which supports the domain of the HIM field may be considered in lieu of experience.
• Completed vocational certificate or degree which also supports the domain of the HIM field is required.
• Healthcare experience and education strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Work requires strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Work requires excellent customer service, interpersonal, and communication skills (verbal and written).
• Work requires organizational skills along with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Work requires computer skills and experience with Microsoft Office and/or various software applications.
• Work requires ability to report, and problem solve using discretion, judgment, and professionalism.
• Work requires ability to handle multiple tasks, show initiative, and adjust to changes as appropriate under a stressful environment.
• Work requires ability to perform in a conservative, fast-paced, and quality driven environment.
• Work requires ability to comprehend, understand, and follow established policies, procedures, and other guidelines of some complexity.
• Work requires self-motivation, maturity, and being a team player.

The following is the acronym, "PACT", and is fundamental to all non-clinical positions at UT Southwestern Medical Center:

• P-Problem Solving: Employees take ownership in solving problems effectively, efficiently, and to the satisfaction of customers, or managers. They show initiative in addressing areas of concern before they become problems.
• A-Ability, Attitude and Accountability: Employees exhibit ability to perform their job and conduct themselves in a professional and positive manner reflecting a professional environment readily assuming obligations in a dependable and reliable manner.
• C-Communication, Contribution, and Collaboration: Who are our Customers? Anyone who requests our help, needs our work product, or receives our services. Employees focus on customer service with creative solutions while improving the customer experience through clear, courteous, and timely delivery and communication. Sharing ideas with others helps expand our contribution to department goals.
• T-Teamwork: Employees work to contribute to the department's success by supporting co-workers, promoting excellence in work product and customer service, and in maintaining a satisfying, caring environment for each other.

Working Conditions

• Work is performed mostly in an office environment.

Compliance with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate enforced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) is a requirement for this position. Federal law requires individuals holding this position to be fully vaccinated or have an approved exemption for certain medical, disability, or religious reasons. Individuals who do not meet CMS vaccination requirements are not eligible and should not apply for this position but are encouraged to apply for other non-healthcare positions at UT Southwestern for which they qualify.

For COVID-19 vaccine information, applicants should visit https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/covid-19/work-on-campus/

To learn more about the benefits UT Southwestern offers, visit https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/employees/hr-resources/

This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code • 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information.

UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status. To learn more, please visit: https://jobs.utsouthwestern.edu/why-work-here/diversity-inclusion