Health Information Specialist I – North Central Health Care – Wausau, WI

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Purpose of the Position

The Health Information Specialist plays an integral part in the medical record maintenance, record storage and retrieval, scanning, and indexing, record analysis, deficiency reporting, and processing of requests for health information to ensure timely availability for continuity of clinical and revenue cycle processes. The position is also responsible for fostering high levels of customer service in coordinating all information provided to clients, patients, residents, and caregivers and ensuring that they receive appropriate, timely, and accurate health information. They preserve the integrity of the Legal Health Record and adhere to all policies and procedures.

Monday-Friday no weekends or holidays.

Preferred:

Associate’s Degree in Health Information Management, or a similar degree.

Certified as a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).

Possess at least 1 year of experience in a healthcare setting.

Prior customer service or medical office experience.

Strong computer aptitude including knowledge of Microsoft Office products.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provides centralized Health Information Management (HIM) support to ensure consistent application usage, and supportive implementation of organization and industry best practices.

• Responsible for improving the overall integrity of medical record documentation in our programs through appropriate interaction with providers, clinicians, and all other NCHC employees and partners.

• Maintaining information flow to support the mission of NCHC.

• Frequent communication with both internal and external clients and you will need to be able to be calm in emotional situations.

• Efficiently handles incoming, outgoing, and interoffice mail, calls, faxes, and walk-ins.

• Maintains accurate account of record storage for retrieval of all forms of paper and media.

• Correctly organizes documents in each patient’s record according to the chart order procedure so that all documentation can be easily accessed.

• Tracks and trends clinician deficiency data for reporting to Medical Staff.

• Reviewing patient’s record for deficient or missing chart elements and notifies provider or appropriate party for completion of legal medical record.

• Coordinating with multiple other health care facilities to gather required documentation for the providers and the health care team.

• Maintains the credibility of the Master Patient Index and ensures there are no duplicate patients in multiple databases.

• Facilitates the import of documents into the electronic health record, using a variety of applications and workflows, for proper scanning, indexing, and quality assurance.

• Accountable to batch, label and route loose reports, late charts/documentation for scanning
• Handles all requests, authorizations, inquiries, subpoenas, and disclosures for patient information; dispersing the information with accountability to all regulatory entities and according to NCHC policies and procedures.

• Prepares statistical reports required by applicable legal, accrediting, and licensing regulatory bodies; this may include detailed chart audits to search for specific information.

• Coordinates record retention and destruction of both paper and all electronic elements to comply with NCHC policy and procedure.

Other Responsibilities:

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  Assumes responsibility for the HIM department when HIM Director is unavailable, with the ability to handle the majority of issues and inquiries that may arise.
• Assists with projects as the need arises.

• Perform other work related tasks as required as assigned

Competencies

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  Ensures confidentiality in handling of all information, verbal and written.

• Intermediate knowledge of medical terminology and clinical workflows.

• Uses relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Maintain a high level of understanding of HIPAA, Joint Commission, state and federal regulations and guidelines, NCHC policies and procedures, and AHIMA best practice methodologies regarding maintenance of health information.
• Ability to comprehend work flow and integration of electronic applications into the current hybrid medical record environment.

• Meets or exceeds established department productivity and quality standards.

• Ability to pay close attention to detail to detect missing and/or incorrect information in the medical record.

• Ability to perform routine maintenance and basic maintenance of scanning equipment preferred

• Demonstrating a complete understanding of the release of information process, including guidelines in training manuals, regulatory manuals, and facility policies and procedures as they relate to patient care information and billing information.

Core Value Standards of Behavior

It is expected that all employees will demonstrate behaviors that support excellence as defined by North Central Health Care’s Core Value Standards of Behavior.

Physical and Working Environment

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  Medium Work: Must be able to lift a minimum requirement of 25 pounds unassisted.

Physical Activities: List the minimum % of time required for each Physical/Mental Requirement.

Exposure to Hazards:

• Moderate exposure to workplace hazards.

Working Conditions:

• Indoors
• Background Noise
• Exposed to infectious diseases or other possible infectious materials including: blood, fecal matter, OPIM…

In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, NCHC will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer. North Central Health Care is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)