Lead Medical Records Technician (Release of Information)

This position is located in the Health Information Management (HIM) section at the Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center. Lead MRTs (ROI) monitor quality and quantity of work to ensure adherence to applicable requirements and regulations. They ensure the work assignments of the team are carried out by performing duties which include distributing and balancing workload, monitoring the status and progress of work, instructing and answering employee questions, and checking employee work.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• The incumbent processes all incoming requests to the facility for Release of Information (ROI) along with information required by the VA Regional Office through the Automated Medical Information Exchange (AMIE).
• Processes Medical-Legal releases of information to attorneys and courts pertaining to Tort Feasor (Third Party Liability), Workman's Compensation, Labor and Industries and subpoenas.
• Screens and follows through on all incoming telephone calls from attorneys, insurance representatives, regarding legal cases and requests under the Privacy Act, referring only problem cases to the Supervisor.
• Reviews and analyzes written and telephone requests to ascertain type of case to be developed.
• Develops and prepares cases for release to District Counsel and other appropriate parties.
• Contacts attorneys when necessary to obtain additional information necessary to develop the case.
• Maintains files for all Privacy Act requests and subpoena cases alphabetically for all cases being developed, processed or complete.
• Interviews veterans and insurance agents requesting information for Third Party Liability, Workman's Compensation, and Privacy Act cases for referral to Medical Cost Recovery and/or the Regional Counsel's Office.
• Receives and directs callers and visitors.
• Receives and/or gives out forms and assists visitors and/or callers with the completion of forms or documents.
• Responds to questions from patients concerning services.
• Provides advisory and technical assistance to patients, administrative staff and professional staff regarding release of information.
• Searches records or files to compose responses, including electronic searches to retrieve and summarize hard-to-locate data.
• Facilitates team or unit processes by working in collaboration with team members or employees to ensure that tasks are completed, that good working relationships among team members and with management are maintained, and that team priorities and goals, needs, and achievements are coordinated with management.
• Performs lead functions over MRT (ROI) positions at the GS-4-6 grade levels. Provides guidance and technical direction necessary for accomplishing the work of the unit or team.
• Serves as work leader, assuring the work assignments of employees in the unit are carried out.
• Communicates to the team the problem to be solved or program issues under review and coaches the team and/or individual team members in identifying the parameters of a viable solution.
• Continually interacts with team members aimed at building consensus and to serve as negotiator and coach for coordination of team initiatives.
• Monitors the status and progress of work and makes adjustments in accordance with established priorities.
• Obtains assistance from the supervisor as needed for major issues or problems that arise.
• Trains team members in the accomplishment of tasks or projects.
• Maintains current knowledge and answers questions from team members on procedures, policies, and directives.
• Provides expert advice on specific tasks, procedures, and policies.
• Makes written instructions, reference materials, and relevant background material available.
• Obtains needed information on decisions from the supervisor on major issues and problems that arise.
• Resolves simple informal complaints of employees and refers more serious matters to the supervisor.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday from 7:30am-4:30pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000/Lead Medical Records Technician (ROI)

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.
• English Language Proficiency: MRTs (ROI) must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required 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) (school transcripts must be submitted with your application). 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 (school transcripts must be submitted with your application):
    • 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 date of 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:

GS-07
In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-07 you must possess at least 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-06).

AND

Applicant must meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below:
1. 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.)
2. Knowledge of the laws and regulations related to the authorization and disclosure of health information.
3. Ability to effectively communicate, both orally and in writing, to meet program objectives.
4. Ability to prepare reports in various formats and present data to various organizational levels.
5. Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G58 Medical Records Technician (Release of Information) GS-0675.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07.

Physical Requirements: The work is for the most part sedentary, with occasional lifting of files usually not exceeding 25 lbs.

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.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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.