About this role
Job Summary
This position is located in the Health Information Management (HIM) section at the Celment J. Zablocki 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
- 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:
- (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 courses.
- (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 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.
- Grade Determinations: Medical Records Technician (ROI), GS-4 Experience or Education.
- None beyond basic requirements.
- Medical Records Technician (ROI), GS-5 Experience.
- GS-5 Level Experience or Education: Possess at least 1 year of creditable experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-4); OR, Successful completion of 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 and physiology, legal aspects of health care, and introduction to health records).
In addition, must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- (a) Ability to utilize health information technology and various office software products utilized in MRT (ROI) positions (e.g., the electronic health record, release of information systems, etc.);
- (b) Knowledge of health record documentation guidelines and processes for disclosing protected health information;
- (c) Ability to manage priorities and coordinate work in order to complete duties within required timeframes, and the ability to follow-up on pending issues;
- (d) knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, and regulations governing privacy and release of information;
- (e) Ability to communicate with individuals from various backgrounds to obtain the desired effect or gaining information by establishing rapport.
Transcripts required if qualifying based on Education.
- Medical Records Technician (ROI), GS-6 Experience.
- GS-6 Level Experience: I possess at least one full year of creditable experience as an MRT (ROI) to the next lower level (GS-5) which demonstrates the KSAs related to the duties of the position to be filled.
- Creditable experience must demonstrate skill in applying, interpreting, and analyzing laws and regulations related to the disclosure of health information; educating requestors on requirements for submitting requests for health information; receiving and validating authorization forms and request; using various computer applications to track and release authorized ROI requests initiate and maintain the accounting of disclosure for records disclosed from a Privacy Act system of records.
- (a) Knowledge of the laws and regulations related to the authorization and disclosure of health information (e.g., Privacy Act, Freedom of Information Act, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and 38 U.S.C. 7332, Confidentiality of Certain Medical Records);
- (b) 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;
- (c) Ability to apply policies, procedures, laws, and regulations governing privacy and release of information to process requests for release of information;
- (d) Ability to research and solve difficult questions related to release of health information in an accurate and timely manner.
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-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-4 to GS-6.
Physical
Requirements
See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.
Major Duties
- 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).
- For sites that have transitioned to the modernized federal electronic health record ( EHR), utilizes AccessHIM Request Management solution for processing of VBA 7131 requests.
- Evaluates validity of each request.
- Determines which information is to be released in compliance with existing laws, such as the Privacy Act of 1974, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)).
- Ensures that proper authorization exists before release is made.
- Processes the request to the requesting agency or individual.
- Inputs all requests into the ROI computer software for logging and tracking of these requests.
- 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.
- Inquiries vary widely and information given requires explanation of office functions, describing specific requirements, providing basic instructions, or a similar degree of detail.
- Searches records or files to compose responses, including electronic searches to retrieve and summarize hard-to-locate data.
- Locates materials that would verify information given.
- Composes responses to routine requests for release of patient information.
- Selects and compiles information from health records and prepares correspondence, typically using standard form or standard formats for letters.
- Ensures the information released is limited to what is specifically authorized and to the person or agency designated to receive it.
- Work Schedule: M-F, 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM Compressed/Flexible: N/A Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement: #10068F, #10069F, #10070F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
- 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.