Medical Records Technician (Coder) Auditor

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. Auditor assignments can be established for any of the coder subspecialties (outpatient, inpatient, or outpatient and inpatient combined). The subspecialty will be reflected in the title, e.g., MRT (Coder) Auditor (Outpatient). Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the journey grade level of a MRT (Coder) Certification. Employees at this level must have a mastery level certification. Mastery Level Certification through AHIMA or AAPC. 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). Grade Determinations: Advanced knowledge of current coding classification systems such as ICD, CPT, and HCPCS for the subspecialty being assigned (outpatient, inpatient, outpatient and inpatient combined) Ability to research and solve complex questions related to coding conventions and guidelines in an accurate and timely manner Ability to review coded data and supporting documentation to identify adherence to applicable standards, coding conventions and guidelines, and documentation requirements Ability to format and present audit results, identify trends, and provide guidance to improve accuracy Skill in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution to deal with individuals at all organizational levels Perferred Experience: 1 year of experience of creditable experience to the next lower grade; OR in a directly related field. Reference: VA Handbook 5005, Appendix 122. 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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-9. Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019. This position in the Health Administration Service at the Atlanta VA Medical Center. MRTs (Coder) Auditor 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, and specialty centers. These coding practitioners analyze and abstract patients' health records and assign alpha-numeric codes for each diagnosis and procedure.

• Major duties include but are not limited: Perform audits of encounters to identify areas of non-compliance in coding. Facilitate improved overall quality, completeness, and accuracy of coded data. Assist facility staff with documentation requirements to completely and accurately reflect the patient care provided. Provide technical support in the areas of regulations and policy, coding requirements, resident supervision, reimbursement, workload, acceptednomenclature, and proper sequencing. Directly consult with the clinical staff for clarification of conflicting or ambiguous clinical data. Use computer applications with varied functions to produce a wide range of reports, to abstract records, and review assigned codes. Perform prospective and retrospective coding audits and use results to identify documentation, coding inadequacies, and re-educate clinical and coding staff based on audit results. Act independently to plan, organize, and perform auditing with emphasis on data validation, analysis, and generation of reports. Assist in the development of guidelines for data quality, consistency, and monitoring for compliance to improve the quality of clinical, financial, and administrative data. Ensure that all coded data is fully documented and supported. Maintain statistical database(s) to track the results and validate the program. They identify patterns and variations in coding practices with regular reports to the medical staff and management. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: 7:30am-4:00 pm Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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. 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. This is a remote position. Virtual: This is a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 61712F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Auhtorized