Health Information Management Director at Los Angeles County Department of Health Services

ABOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES:
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) is the second largest municipal health system in the nation.  Through its integrated system of twenty-five (25) health centers and four (4) acute hospitals - and expanded network of community partner clinics – DHS annually provides direct care for over 600,000 unique patients, employs over 23,000 staff, and has an annual budget of over $6.9 billion. For additional information regarding DHS please visit www.dhs.lacounty.gov. 

Through academic affiliations with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Southern California (USC), and the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Sciences (CDU), DHS hospitals are training sites for physicians completing their Graduate Medical Education in nearly every medical specialty and subspecialty.   In addition, to its direct clinical services, DHS also runs the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency and the County's 911 emergency response system, as well as Housing for Health and the Office of Diversion and Re-entry, each with a critical role in connecting vulnerable populations, including those released from correctional and institutional settings to supportive housing.  

MISSION:
“To advance the health of our patients and our communities by providing extraordinary care”.

Provides oversight on key Health Information Management (HIM) services provided at a DHS hospital, such as Medical Coding, Release of Information, Document Scanning and Validation, Data Capture and Reporting, Clinical Document Deficiency Tracking, and File Room Maintenance.

Oversees the preparation of reports for hospital administration on matters concerning or related to the operations of the Health Information Management Division.

Directs the release of medical information to the public, private medical facilities, governmental agencies, and the courts in accordance with departmental policies and legal requirements governing the release of information.

Plans, develops, organizes, and evaluates the operational activities of the Health Information Management Division of a large acute hospital or the clinics and health centers of the Ambulatory Care Network (ACN).

As the custodian of patient medical records, directs the implementation, maintenance, and adherence to access to protected personal health information, release of medical information to the public, outside agencies and the courts in accordance with departmental policies and legal regulations.

Participates in the development and maintenance of a computerized health information management system as part of the overall health information system plan.

Provides consultation to hospital staff on methods of recording and retrieving medical and statistical data for research, budgeting, and reporting purposes.

Provides professional health information management consultation services and assistance to medical and clinical staff in evaluating the quality of patient care records and in developing the criteria and methodology for such evaluation.

Formulates, develops, and directs the implementation of procedures and policies governing medical records and related work and coordinates the work of the division with that of other areas of the hospital.

Directs staff development programs, ensures delivery of orientation, in-service education, and privacy training.

Develops and directs the implementation of procedures and policies governing health information and medical records to ensure compliance with JCAHO accreditation, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), facility strategic goals and ethical standards.

Develops, implements, and assesses the long-range and short-term goals for the division as part of the organization's strategic plan.

Actively serves as the departmental representative on various management committees, such as Utilization Review, Quality Improvements, Medical Audits, Accreditation and Medical Records, Privacy Committee, etc.

Manages the Birth Registry/Clerk and Decedent Affairs function.

Approves all equipment and personnel requests prior to final presentation to administration.

Reviews the annual budget request for the Health Information Management Division and works directly with the facility or ACN Finance Unit.

Develops and modifies hospital policies and procedures for the HIM services such as Medical Coding, Release of Information, Document Scanning and Validation, Data Capture and Reporting, Clinical Document Deficiency Tracking, and File Room Maintenance.

Directs the operation of Cancer Tumor Registrar (CTR) staff.

Update HIM policies and procedures to align with National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) standards. Utilize Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) to identify gaps in HIM coding capture and provider documentation.

Ensure that local policies, procedures, staffing standards, technology standards, workflows, and strategic goals are in alignment with those from the DHS Enterprise HIM office.

Lead enterprise-wide projects assigned by the DHS EHIM office.

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS: 

Certification as a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)*, by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)

-AND-

Five (5) years of experience managing multiple sections, including technical abstracting, and coding, file management, health information reporting, or medical clerical functions in a comprehensive acute hospital-based health information management division at the level of Assistant Medical Records Director III**, Medical Records Director I**, Health Information Manager**, or higher. Certification as a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)* and two (2) additional years of the required experience will be accepted as a substitute for the RHIA* certification.

A comprehensive acute hospital offers immediate treatment for a relatively short stay/admission. Services provided include but not limited to:

• Emergency Department/Emergency Room
• Inpatient Admission
• Ambulatory Surgery/Outpatient Surgery
• Psych/Mental Health Inpatient Admission
• Trauma Services 

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

Additional credit will be given to applicants that possess the following desirable qualifications:

• Additional experience in excess of the Selection Requirement 

• Clinical Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP) certification* from AHIMA 
• Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA) certification* from AHIMA 
• Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS) certification* from AHIMA

LICENSE:
A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
 
PHYSICAL CLASS II - Light:
This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:

*In order to qualify for the Selection Requirements, you must include a legible photocopy of your certificate of completion with your online application at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days of filing your application online.  In order to receive credit for a bachelor’s or master’s degree, you must include a legible photocopy of your diploma/transcripts which shows the area of specialization with your online application, at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days of filing your application online.
 

Applications received without evidence of the required certification will not be accepted as meeting the stated requirements. 

Applications received without evidence of the required degree or certification will not receive additional credit for desirable qualifications. 

If you are unable to attach required documents during application submission email them to the exam analyst at Kshelvy@dhs.lacounty.gov within seven (7) calendar days of filing online. Please include your name, the exam number and exam title in the subject line of the email. Note: Foreign studies must be evaluated by an academic credential evaluation and deemed to be equivalent to degrees from the United States. (See Accreditation Information under Employment Information).

Please ensure the Certification/License Section of the application is completed. Provide the title of the certificate, the number, date issued, date of expiration and the name of the issuing agency. The required certificate must be current and unrestricted.

**Experience at the level of the Los Angeles County's classes listed in the Requirements is defined as follows:

Assistant Medical Records Director III: Assists the medical records director at a large (deemed to be 250 or more licensed beds) and complex hospital in directing the hospital's medical records program.

Medical Records Director I: Directs the work of a medium-sized staff engaged in carrying out the medical records program at a hospital.

Health Information Manager: Manages all abstracting and coding functions in a large (deemed to be 250 or more licensed beds) acute hospital or a major abstracting and coding operation in a large (deemed to be 250 or more licensed beds) acute hospital or acts as the first assistant of the Health Information Management Division of a medium size (deemed to be 100 to 299 licensed beds) hospital or the Correctional Treatment Center.

Exam Analyst is not responsible for opening/accessing encoded documents.

EXAMINATION CONTENT: 
This examination will consist of an evaluation of education, training, experience, and desirable qualifications based upon application information and supplemental questionnaire weighted 100%. 
 
Candidates must achieve a passing score of 70% or above on each weighted part of the examination in order to be placed on the eligible register.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION:
Applications will be processed on an "as-received" basis and those receiving a passing score will be promulgated to the eligible register accordingly. 

The names of candidates receiving a passing score in the examination will be added to the eligible register and will appear in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of promulgation.
 

No person may compete in this examination more than once every twelve (12) months.

SPECIAL INFORMATION

AVAILABLE SHIFT: 
Appointees may be required to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.

VACANCY INFORMATION: 
The resulting eligible register for this examination will be used to fill vacancies in the Department of Health Services (DHS) throughout Los Angeles County as they occur. 

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION: 

Applications must be filed online only. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, Fax, or in person will not be accepted.  

Apply online by clicking on the green "APPLY" button at the top right of this posting. You can also track the status of your application using this website.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the 4:59 p.m. (PT) deadline on the last day of filing, as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty, you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.
 

Applications electronically received after 5:00 p.m., PT, on the last day of filing will not be accepted.

The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the Requirements. Fill out your application completely and correctly to receive full credit for related education, and/or experience in the spaces provided so we can evaluate your qualifications for the position. Please do not group your experience. For each position held, give the name and address of your employer, your position title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed. If your application is incomplete, it will be rejected.
 
IMPORTANT NOTES:

• All information and documents provided by applicants is subject to verification.
• We may reject your application at any time during the examination and hiring process, including after appointment has been made.
• Falsification of any information may result in disqualification or rescission of appointment.
• Utilizing verbiage from Class Specification and/or Minimum/Selection Requirements serving as your description of duties will not be sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the Requirements. Comments such as "See Résumé" or referencing other unsolicited materials/documents will not be considered as a response; in doing so, your application will be rejected.

NOTE: If you are unable to attach required documents, you may email the documents to Kendrea Shelvy at kshelvy@dhs.lacounty.gov within seven (7) calendar days of filing online or your application will be rejected. Please include your name, the exam number and exam title on the email.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the deadline as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:
Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES:
For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County.  

NO SHARING OF USER ID, E-MAIL, AND PASSWORD:
All applicants must file their application using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

FAIR CHANCE INITIATIVE: 

The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, regency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.

Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI): 

The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Human Resources is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

DEPARTMENT CONTACT:

Kendrea Shelvy, Exam Analyst
kshelvy@dhs.lacounty.gov

(213) 288-7000

ADA COORDINATOR PHONE: (323) 914-7111

TELETYPE PHONE: (800) 899-4099

CALIFORNIA RELAY SERVICES PHONE: (800) 735-2922

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Employment Information

Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.

Your Responsibilities:

1. Completing Your Application:

a. Before submission of the application, it is your responsibility to ensure that all information provided is correct and complete on the application. Incomplete applications cannot be accepted.

b. List each payroll title separately for each job. Do not group your experience. Specify the beginning and ending dates for each job. If you are a Los Angeles County employee and have held multiple positions, do NOT list all of your time with the County under your present payroll title.

c. Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.

d. To receive credit, include required documents (e.g., copy of your diploma, transcript, certificate, or license) as directed on the job posting. International degrees in a foreign language must be translated to English and evaluated for equivalency to U.S. standards. Refer to the job posting for specific deadlines for supporting documentation.

2. Requirements on Job Posting:

a. Your application will only be accepted if it clearly shows you meet the requirements. The information you give will determine your eligibility and is subject to verification at any time.

b. You must be at least 16 years of age at the time of appointment unless other age limits are stated on the job posting. The Federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967, as amended, prohibits discrimination on the basis of age for any individual age 40 or older.

c. Experience is evaluated on the basis of a verifiable 40- hour week, unless specified otherwise. Prorated part-time experience may be acceptable.

3. Application Deadline: All job applications must be completed and submitted before the closing time on the last day of the filing period as indicated on the job posting unless other instructions are provided. Job postings with an open continuous filing period are subject to closure without prior notice. It is to your advantage to file your application early and not wait until the last allowable date and time as you will not be able to apply once the filing period has closed.

4. Change of Name or Address: To change personal information such as your name or address, log into your profile on www.governmentjobs.com and make the necessary change. This can be done at any time.

5. Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Policy:

a. It is the policy of the County of Los Angeles to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. b. If you are an individual requesting reasonable accommodation(s) in the examination process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. The provision of accommodation(s) may be subject to verification, consistent with state and federal law. All accommodation-related information will remain confidential.

Disclaimer: The County of Los Angeles is not responsible or in any way liable for any computer hardware or software malfunction that may affect the employment application or the application selection process.

You assume all responsibility and risk for the use of this system and the Internet generally. This system and the information provided on it are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. No advice or information given by the County of Los Angeles or its respective employees shall modify the foregoing or create any warranty.

The County of Los Angeles expressly disclaims any warranty that the information on this system or on the Internet generally will be uninterruptible or error free or that any information, software or other material accessible from the system is free of viruses or other harmful components. You shall have no recourse against the County of Los Angeles as the system provider for any alleged or actual infringement of any proprietary rights a user may have in anything posted or retrieved on our system.

The County of Los Angeles shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, punitive, incidental, special or consequential damages arising out of or in any way connected with the use of this system or with the delay or inability to use it (or any linked sites), or for any information obtained through this system, or otherwise arising out of the use of this system, the Internet generally or on any other basis.

NOTE: Your application is submitted using Secure Encryption to ensure the privacy of all information you transmit over the Internet.

By accepting the Use Disclaimer set forth herein, you agree to all of the above terms and further agree to use this Online Job Employment Application System only for the submission of bona fide employment applications to the County of Los Angeles. Any other use of this Online Job Employment Application System, including without limitation any copying, downloading, translating, decompiling, or reverse engineering of the system, data, or related software, shall be a violation of the Use Disclaimer.

Test Preparation: Study Guides and other resources are available to help candidates prepare for employment tests. An interactive system for taking practice tests may be accessed on the Department of Human Resources website at  https://hr.lacounty.gov /. Additional resources may be listed on the job posting. 

Veteran’s Credit: In all open competitive examinations, a veteran’s credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examinations will be added to the final passing grade of an honorably discharged veteran who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under any of the following conditions: During a declared war; -or- During the period April 28, 1952 through July 1, 1955; -or- For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred after January 31, 1955, and before October 15, 1976; -or- During the Gulf War from August 2, 1990 through January 2, 1992; -or- For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning September 11, 2001, and ending on August 31, 2010 the last day of Operation Iraqi Freedom; -or- In a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal or expeditionary medal has been authorized and awarded. Any Armed Forces Expeditionary medal or campaign badge, including El Salvador, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Southwest Asia, Somalia, and Haiti qualifies for credit.

A campaign medal holder or Gulf War veteran who originally enlisted after September 7, 1980 (or began active duty on or after October 14, 1982, and has not previously completed 24 months of continuous active duty) must have served continuously for 24 months or the full period called or ordered to active duty.

This also applies to the spouse of such person who, while engaged in such service was wounded, disabled or crippled and thereby permanently prevented from engaging in any remunerative occupation, and also to the widow or widower of any such person who died or was killed while in such service. A DD214, Certificate of Discharge or Separation from Active Duty, or other official documents issued by the branch of service are required as verification of eligibility for Veterans preference. Applicants must submit the documentation for each open competitive exam to qualify for veteran’s credit. More information available at:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/vet-guide-for-hr-professionals/

Accreditation Information: Accredited institutions are those listed in the publications of regional, national or international accrediting agencies that are accepted by the Department of Human Resources. Publications such as American Universities and Colleges and International Handbook of Universities are acceptable references. Also acceptable, if appropriate, are degrees that have been evaluated and deemed to be equivalent to degrees from United States accredited institutions by an academic credential evaluation agency recognized by The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). More information is available at:  http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/070812_PPG123.pdf  (Download PDF reader) and  http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205105_PPG_123_AC E_Resource_Guide.pdf (Download PDF reader)

Background Check: The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.

Career Planning: Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at  https://career-pathfinder.hr.lacounty.gov/ #/.

Benefit Information: Depending on the position, the successful candidate will enroll in a contributory defined benefit pension plan if the candidate is a “new member” of the County’s defined benefit plan (LACERA) on or after January 1, 2013 (first employed by the County on or after December 1, 2012) – unless she or he established reciprocity with another public retirement system in which she or he was a member before January 1, 2013. It should be noted that County employees do not pay into Social Security, but do pay the Medical Hospital Insurance Tax portion of Social Security at a rate of 1.45%. The Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA) has reciprocal agreements with several public retirement systems in California.

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: All positions are open to qualified men and women. Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, persons with disabilities who believe they need reasonable accommodation, or help in order to apply for a position, may contact the ADA/Personnel Services for Disabled Persons Coordinator. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. The County will attempt to meet reasonable accommodation requests whenever possible.

Equal Employment Opportunity: It is the policy of the County of Los Angeles to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. All positions are open to qualified men and women pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. The County will comply with all of its obligations under State and Federal laws regarding the provision of reasonable accommodations to applicants. 

Los Angeles County Child Support Compliance Program: In an effort to improve compliance with court ordered child, family and spousal support obligations, certain employment and identification information (i.e., name, address, Social Security number and date of hire) is regularly reported to the State Directory of New Hires which may assist in locating persons who owe these obligations. Family Code Section 17512 permits under certain circumstances for additional employment and identifying information to be requested. Applicants will not be disqualified from employment based on this information.

Social Security Act of 2004: Section 419 (c) of Public Law 108-203, the Social Security Protection Act of 2004, requires State and local government employers to disclose the effect of the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset Provision to employees hired on or after January 1, 2005, in jobs not covered by Social Security. The County of Los Angeles does not participate in the Social Security System. All newly hired County of Los Angeles employees must sign a statement (Form SSA-1945) prior to the start of employment indicating that they are aware of a possible reduction in their future Social Security benefit entitlement. For more information on Social Security and about each provision, you may visit the website www.socialsecurity.gov, or call toll free 1-800-772- 1213. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the TTY number 1-800-325-0778 or contact a local Social Security office.

Employment Eligibility Information: Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States. Immigration law provides that all persons hired after November 6, 1986, are required to present original documents to the County, within three (3) business days of hiring, which show satisfactory proof of 1) identity and 2) U.S. employment eligibility.

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (Part 2.8 commencing with Section 12900 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) the Regulations of the Fair Employment and Housing Commission (California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Division 4, Sections 7285.0 through 8504) and other applicable laws prohibit employment discrimination based on an applicant's protected characteristics, including race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, age, pregnancy, childbirth, and other characteristics.

COVID-19 VACCINATION: Some County workforce members may be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Successful candidates for those positions/classifications may be required to submit proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or request an exemption for qualifying medical or religious reasons during the onboarding process. Candidates should not present proof of vaccination until instructed to do so by the hiring department.

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