Supervisor Medical Records Technician; CODER

This position is located in the Health Information Management (HIM) section at the Syracuse VA Medical Center. MRTs (Coder) are skilled in classifying medical data from patient health records in the hospital setting, and/or physician-based settings, such as physician offices, group practices, multi-specialty clinics, alpha-numeric codes for each diagnosis and procedure.

• Develops performance standards and conducts performance evaluations for subordinate staff. Interviews new employees, recommends selection, and carries out training and development of reassignments, awards or disciplinary action. Approves leave schedules.
• Schedules the sequence of work and operations on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis to assure even workflow and distribution, expeditious handling of priorities and the meeting of deadlines. Revises schedules/assignments to meet changes in workload considering peak loads, availability of manpower and time limits. Makes changes in organization and assignment of duties to provide improvements, promote job satisfaction and increase productivity.
• Prepares workload and production reports; reports on operations and problems encountered; and presents proposed requests for resource needs based on past experience, anticipated staffing, equipment, and space.
• Makes assignments that are equitable among employees. Formulates and issues written instructions and procedures and special instructions for non-routine or complex assignments or to clarify published guides. Assignments are made based on selective considerations such as difficulty and requirements of assignment, availability, capability and grades of employees, and availability of other resources.
• Reviews coding and assists coders in improving coding accuracy; provides coding guidance to various levels of staff to promote consistency in practice and compliance with coding rules and regulations; initiates various reports and analyzes data; and coordinates, assigns, and monitors the workflow.
• Keeps abreast of all regulations and guidelines governing the coding section, ensuring that staff supervised is educated as needed. Ensures that regulatory guidelines and current coding conventions are followed.
• Coordinates with other Service representatives on matters concerning health record documentation and coding.
• Monitors the status and progress of work and day‑to‑day adjustments in accordance with established priorities. Gives on‑the‑job training to new coders and students to provide the individual with the basic knowledge, skill and ability to perform the full range of routine and non‑routine responsibilities required. Trains and works closely with professional and administrative staff to assist in the development, maintenance and usage of ICD and CPT codes to ensure accurate data capture.
  
  Conforms to standards and participates in the technical evaluation and validation of health records for compliance with The Joint Commission requirements, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and/or health record documentation guidelines.
• Analyzes and recommends improvements in documentation systems used to provide patient care to optimize VERA workload, third‑party reimbursement, and to manage resources.
• Required to train others on the encoder product suite. Utilizes this system on an ongoing basis to perform core coding duties and audits. Orients and instructs new personnel and/or students from affiliated health information or medical record technology programs on unit operations, coding, abstracting, and use of an electronic medical record.
• Conducts provider training to improve health record documentation for the episodes of care provided.

Work Schedule
:
Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm, 7:30am - 4:00pm or 8:00am - 4:30pm

Recruitment Incentive (Sign‑on Bonus): A recruitment incentive may be available for highly qualified applicants.

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). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

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
:
Not available

Virtual/Remote
:
This is not a remote or virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 21P30‑O

Permanent Change of Station (PCS):
Not Authorized