Lead Medical Record Technician - Released Of Information

The Lead Medical Record Technician - Released of Information (ROI) is located in the Health Information Management (HIM) section at the Loma Linda 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.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. Must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
• 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:
    • 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.
    • 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.

Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a MRT (ROI) on the effective December 10, 2019 are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/ registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

1. Such employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure/certification/ registration may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation, but will not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
2. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended, or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
3. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

GRADE DETERMINATIONS - Lead Medical Records Technician (Release of Information (ROI)),GS-07: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade.

• Experience. Applicants must have at least one (1) year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-06) level.
  Experience at the GS-06 includes but is not limited to: applies, interprets, and analyzes laws and regulations related to the disclosure of health information; educates requestors on requirements for submitting requests for health information; receives and validates authorization forms and requests for information and prioritize requests according to policies and regulations; uses various computer applications to track and release all authorized release of Information requests; processes and releases health information to authorized first- and third party requestor; initiates and maintains the accounting of disclosure for all records disclosed from a Privacy Act system of records; communicates with internal and external stakeholders to provide technical expertise regarding the release of Information process; ensures compliance with policies, procedures, laws, and regulations governing privacy and release of Information.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Ability to work with a team to provide technical guidance, plan, organize, and coordinate activities of release of Information to effectively complete job assignments (i.e., distributing workload, monitoring the status and progress of work, monitoring accuracy of work, and ensuring required timelines are met.)
• Knowledge of the laws and regulations related to the authorization and disclosure of health information.
• Ability to effectively communicate, both orally and in writing, to meet program objectives..
• Ability to prepare reports in various formats and present data to various organizational levels.
• Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training.

Preferred Experience:

• Knowledge of laws and regulations related to the authorization and disclosure of health information.
• 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.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G58, December 10, 2019
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-07.
Physical Requirements: The work involved in this position is mostly sedentary, with long periods sitting at computer desk. Some walking and long periods of standing may be required.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/.Employment Type: FULL_TIME