Job: Medical Records Specialist

Job Description

Job Type: Full time, Hourly

Wage: $16.96-$21.32/hr.

Location: Salida, CO.

Job Description

HRRMC's Medical Records Department has a full time (40 hrs/week) position as a Medical Records Specialist. The ideal candidate will have exceptional customer service skills and excellent attention to detail. Previous experience in a medical setting is preferred. The hours for the position will be Monday -Friday 8:30am to 5:30pm and will be stationed at our main campus. Apply online at hrrmc.com

Responsible for all administrative and record keeping functions of the Medical Records Department in the hospital and clinics including: maintaining the integrity of the paper and electronic health records through prepping, scanning, indexing/filing and retrieving patient medical records. Responsible for reviewing and responding to requests for confidential health information from authorized requestors, according to established policies and procedures, Colorado Law and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) regulatory guidelines. Serves as the first impression of the department and provides customer service support in the reception area of the department. Specialists assigned at the clinics functionally report to Clinic Manager to support the needs of the clinic.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES PER AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY

1. Quality and Productivity:

•  Maintains 98% or greater accuracy.
•  Meets or exceeds established productivity standards.

2. Reception and Administrative:

•  Responsible for greeting walk-in customers, answering incoming calls, and responding to requests via fax, email, phone or walk-in. Assists requestors with the completion of authorization forms and verifies identification.
•  Processes incoming mail, faxes, and other requests. Checks, responds and follows up on emails, phone calls, and other correspondence daily.
•  Monitors failed fax queue and resends faxes. 
• Processes Continuing Care Documents (CCD-As) in the electronic health record systems. 
• Monitors supply inventory, submits requests in a timely manner, and processes new orders. Maintains equipment and requests repairs with appropriate follow up. Submits IT Helpdesk and Plan Operations requests timely and follows up until fulfilled.

3. Document Management, Identity Management and Chart Correction:

• Retrieves/receives paper documents from clinical areas. Reconciles with schedules and reports to ensure all documents are received. Prepares and sorts documents for scanning and indexing into the electronic health records.
• Indexes scanned documents; validates patient information and document/form type. Assigns appropriate naming convention to documents according established policies and procedures. Assures all scanned documents are present and legible in the electronic record. 
• Verifies scanning accuracy and makes corrections as needed. Names and imports faxes in fax folders. 
• Identifies and reports medical record numbers or patients that have been duplicated or assigned in error.

4. Record Completion, Maintenance and Report Processing: 

• Reviews records for completion and assigns deficiencies, as indicated. Assists in obtaining documentation such as histories and physicals, operative notes, discharge summaries, coder queries, orders, diagnoses, test results, signatures, etc. Communicates with providers and ancillary departments to obtain required information in order to complete the medical record in a timely manner. 
• Generates reports on incomplete/delinquent records and notifies providers of pending relinquishment of medical staff privileges. Prepares notification letters for Chief of Staff signature and mails once approved by Medical Records Manager.
• Generates other reports as requested.

5. Release of Health Information: 

• Promptly and accurately responds to requests for release of health information in compliance with HRRMC policies and procedures, Colorado Laws, Federal Public Health Laws and HIPAA regulatory guidelines. Assesses and prioritizes requests received. Confirms validity of authorizations and determines whether request is appropriate. Returns invalid requests with an explanation and request for a valid authorization. 
• Utilizes the electronic health record systems, legacy systems and paper records to retrieve patient medical information. Prepares documents as requested: paper, fax, email, USB flash drive, or upload to secure site. 
• Monitors medrecrequest and other assigned department emails and the fax to file queues. Receives and processes phone calls and/or faxes requesting disclosure of medical information. Responds to emergency phone calls and fax requests after appropriately verifying identity of requestor with return phone call. 
• Releases information that has been specified on the authorization only, using minimum necessary guidelines. Uploads documents to secure site, sends encrypted email, fax, or sends via mail, if appropriate. 
• Coordinates obtaining information requested for medical records, itemized billing information from Patient Financial Services, and Imaging Department, if requested. 
• Maintains Release of Information Log and completes invoices as needed for charging of records, requests prepayment, if applicable. 
• Processes requests for Accounting of Disclosure of protected health information. 
• Monitors and forwards insurance audits, Recovery Audit Contract (RAC), subpoenas, out of state legal and other requests to Medical Records Manager and/or Risk Management Office per policy. Receives, logs, processes, and validates subpoenas and court orders as required by law. 
• Forwards requests for a signed Affidavit or Certification of Medical Records to the Medical Records Manager who serves as the Custodian of Medical Records for HRRMC.

6. Birth Certificates: 

• Receives the completed Certificate of Live Birth information worksheet and the Paternity form (when applicable) from the Family Birthing Center. 
• Enters the birth certificate information into the Colorado Vital Information Systems (COVIS) program and in the department Birth Register. 
• When applicable, enters paternity information into COVIS and also faxes the forms to the Colorado Department of Health within ten days of birth. 
• Mails the souvenir birth certificate to patients. 
• Submits corrections of birth certificate errors, when appropriate.

7. Other Duties: 

• Documents expirations in electronic health records and on spreadsheet. 
• Participates in the orientation, training, and mentoring of coworkers. 
• Performs other functions and special projects assigned by the Manager and/or Lead.

Requirements

EDUCATION AND OR EXPERIENCE:

Required: 

• A minimum of three years of responsible business experience, preferably in a medical records department, patient financial services department, provider practice, or other healthcare setting; and 
• Customer service experience.

Preferred:

•  Associate degree
•  Completed course in medical terminology.
• Experience with electronic health records

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: None required.

VACCINATION EXEMPTIONS ACCEPTED

All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a negative drug screen test*, criminal background check, reference checks, infection prevention procedures (TB test, Flu Shot, proof of COVID 19 vaccinations, immunization records, etc.), physical capacity profile and acknowledgement of policies.

**Disclaimer: The duties and responsibilities described above are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee, time to time; the scope of the job may change as necessitated by business demands. Click “Visit” below for more detail on this specific job.