Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship
• Candidates must be a citizen] of the United States
• Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7407(a)
• Education or Experience: (1) Experience
• Three years of creditable experience in the field of medical records that included the preparation, maintenance, and management of [health] records and health information systems [demonstrating a knowledge of medical terminology,] medical records [procedures, medical coding, or medical, administrative, and legal requirements of health care delivery] systems
• OR, (2) Education
• Successful completion of a bachelor's degree or higher 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 management or health information technology
• OR, (3) Experience/Education Combination
• Equivalent combinations of creditable experience and education that equals 100 percent may be used to meet basic requirements
• For example, two years above high school from an accredited college or university, with 12 semester hours in health information technology/health information management, plus one year and six months of creditable experience that included the preparation, maintenance, and management of health records and health information systems meets an equivalent combination
• Certification
• Persons hired or reassigned to MRA positions in the GS-0669 series in VHA must meet one of the following: (1) Coding Certification through AHIMA or AAPC
• OR, (2) HIM Certification through AHIMA
• OR, (3) Health Data Analyst Certification through AHIMA
• GRADE REQUIREMENTS
• Grade Determinations
• In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the 5 following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Medical Records Administration Specialist, GS-11 Experience
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates all of the KSAs described at that level
• OR, Education
• Education equivalent to three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited university or college in the field of health information management
• AND Demonstrated Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities (a) Skill in [performance] and process improvement [techniques to develop and implement new or improved solutions in health information management
• (b) Ability to advise management and staff, at various levels, regarding health record documentation requirements and health information management practices based on current industry standards, policies, statues, laws, and regulations
• (c) Ability to plan, justify, develop, evaluate, assess, monitor, and advise on current health information management processes and recommend changes in policies or procedures
• (d) Ability to determine and evaluate compliance with legal, ethical, and regulatory guidelines and accrediting bodies, as they apply to health information management
• (e) Ability to acquire, manage, analyze, interpret, and transform data into 8 accurate, consistent, and meaningful information
• Preferred Experience: Mid-level experience in Health Information Management and Associates in HIM is preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items.