Medical Records Technician (HIT)

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. DEFINITIONS. a. Journey Level. The full performance level for the MRT HIT assignment is GS-7. b. Creditable Experience. Experience is only creditable if it is paid or non-paid employment directly related to the position to be filled, or in a related field, such as medical support assistants, clinic/ward clerks, health record file room/scanning technicians, medical coding, or other positions that include knowledge of the content and uses of health records. To be creditable, the candidate’s experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current MRTHIT practice. c. Quality of Experience. To be creditable, experience must be documented on the application or resume and verified in an employment reference, or through other independent means. d. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a MRT HIT is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a MRT HIT would receive one week of full-time credit for each two weeks of half-time work. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship. Proficient in basic written and spoken English Meet physical requirements. Meet basic education and/or experience. (See Grade Determination below) Experience. One year of creditable experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, and a 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 HIT work. 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, physiology, legal aspects of health care, and introduction to health records). Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education are qualifying towards meeting basic experience requirements. The following 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. (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 U.S. Armed Forces or the U.S. Maritime Service, under close medical and professional supervision, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to six months of experience, provided the training program included courses in anatomy, physiology, and health record techniques and procedures. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements, the below qualification requirements must be met at the grade(s) in which you are applying. See the application questionnaire for full details of grade qualifications and assignments :https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12602469 . GS-04 Entry Level Experience or Education: none beyond the basic education or experience. GS-05 Developmental Level I Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. OR Education: 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 & physiology, legal aspects of health care, and introduction to health records). And Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external customers. (b) Ability to utilize health information technology and various office software products used in health information management positions (e.g., Microsoft Excel, electronic health records, and delinquency tracking software). (c) Knowledge of health record documentation guidelines and industry standards. (d) Ability to manage priorities and coordinate work to complete duties within required timeframes. (e) Ability to apply knowledge of medical terminology and human anatomy to fully understand the content of a health record. GS-06 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. And Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to navigate efficiently through the health record to locate needed information. (b) Ability to analyze health record documentation to ensure compliance with guidelines and industry standards. (c) Skill in investigating potential health record errors and making corrections, when appropriate. (d) Skill in interpreting and applying health information guidelines and using judgment to complete assignments. (e) Ability to follow up on incomplete health record documentation. GS-7 (Full Performance Level) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. And Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to judge whether health records contain sufficient information for regulatory requirements, are acceptable as legal documents, are adequate for continuity of patient care, and support education and research needs. (b) Ability to take appropriate actions if health record content is not adequate, accurate, timely, and/or reliable. (c) Ability to communicate both orally and in writing with individuals or groups, to facilitate compliance with established policies and regulations. (d) Skill in using appropriate software and computer applications to analyze and record documentation trends. (e) Ability to apply qualitative and/or quantitative methods for assessment and improvement of health records. (f) Ability to work independently and utilize problem-solving techniques in the accomplishment of work. References: VA Handbook 5005/124, Part II, Appendix G59 The full performance level (Journey Level) of this vacancy is the GS-07. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-04 to GS-07 . Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. There is walking, bending and reaching required such as for filing or locating material, and carrying items such as reports, documents, and supplies. Entering data and word processing on a personal computer may result in physical problems from the effects of repetitive motion and eyestrain.
This position is located in the Health Information Management (HIM) section at the Lexington VA Health Care System (LVAHCS). MRTs HIT perform incomplete health record analysis. They review, analyze, abstract, maintain, extract, and compile information from the health record. MRTs HIT check for accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the health record and monitor and report for regulatory compliance.