Supervisory Medical Records Technician (Release of Information)

The Supervisory Medical Records Technician (Release of Information) position is located within the Health Information Management (HIM) section at the Kansas City VA Medical Center. The incumbent is responsible for providing supervision, administrative oversight, and direction to the Release of Information (ROI) staff. This role ensures the accurate, timely, and compliant review and processing of requests for patients' protected health information (PHI).

The incumbent serves as a Supervisory Medical Record Technician - Release of Information (ROI) in the Health Information Management Section (HIM) of the Business Operations Service (BOS). The Supervisory MRT (ROI) is responsible for supervision, administrative management, and direction of the ROI staff, who disclose health information in accordance with all laws and regulations governing authorization and disclosure of health information.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Develops policies and procedures.
• Serves as supervisor and technical expert for the ROI Section.
• Prepares formal requests and recommendations for promotions, reassignments, other status changes, or recognition of outstanding performance.
• Provides guidance and suggestions to the Chief, HIM regarding staffing needs and shortages within the ROI Section.
• Provides effective audits and monitors for all areas of responsibility, assuring that accurate and timely data is processed by all employees.
• Prepares work assignments and reviews work accomplished and assesses quality, quantity, accuracy and timeliness of work produced by each employee.
• Monitors performances of ROI staff, develops performance standards, conducts performance evaluations, and develops competency assessments.
• Selects new employees, recommends selection, and carries out training and development of assignments, awards and disciplinary action.
• Ensures that release of information activities related to the development, implementation, maintenance of and adherence to privacy policies and procedures are performed and coordinated in compliance with applicable federal laws and regulations including the Privacy Act of 1974, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Automated Medical Information Exchange (AMIE).
• Maintains contact with VA Regional Counsel (VARO) in all matters related to malpractice, subpoena actions and request for preparation of TORT records.
• Assists in performing 100% quality review of all TORT cases prior to sending records to VARO for litigation.
• Prepares weekly ROI and TORT record turnaround statistics.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 0800-1430
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

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:
    • 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.
• English Language Proficiency. MRTs (ROI) must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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).

GS-8 Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet the experience and demonstrate all of the KSAs for this level.

• Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7). This experience is described as: monitor and make adjustments on workload, comply with established release of information policies and procedures, coordinate staff development and training regarding release of information. AND,
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  • Ability to develop policy and provide workload analysis for release of information.
  • Skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution.
  • Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training.
  • Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties, to include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed, performance evaluation, selection of staff, recommendations of awards, advancements, and disciplinary actions.

Preferred Experience: Three plus years of Release of Information experience.

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-8.

Physical Requirements: May include but not limited to standing 2 hours per day, use of both hands, use of fingers, sitting up to 8 hours per day.

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/.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.