HEALTH INFORMATION ASSOCIATE

Position/Program Information

EXAM NUNBER

b1416A

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT:

OPEN COMPETITIVE JOB OPPORTUNITY

FILING START DATE:

February 18, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. (Pacific Time)

This opportunity will remain open until March 04, 2024 at 11:59 PM
DEFINITION:
Under the general supervision of a higher-level supervisor, Health Information Associates collect, analyze, abstract, and code health information for reimbursement, statistics, and mandatory reporting, coordinate their services with billing operations, and administer the health information of patients in an outpatient or clinical operation.

CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS:

The Health Information Associate (HIA), usually allocated in a hospital or outpatient clinic setting, belongs to a class series that provides health information management through the collection, analysis, abstracting, and coding of inpatient or outpatient healthcare-related services. The HIA is characterized by its focus on outpatient health information management and less complex coding, usually of clinic services and routine diagnoses and procedures, and abstracting of health information. The typical assignment is in an outpatient facility, clinic, or limited-diagnosis specialty provider of medical services and advice. These positions differ from those belonging to the higher-level Health Information Technician class in that the latter is the full journey-level classification providing inpatient and outpatient abstracting and complex coding services. HIAs are generally supervised and their work product periodically reviewed for accuracy and completeness, billable reimbursement and revenue maximization, and conformity to applicable laws and regulations, departmental requirements, International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-CM) Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, and The Joint Commission standards.

Essential Job Functions

• Researches and may retrieve and assemble physicians' orders, nursing notes, and other health information into patients' health record, and assists in the storage and retrieval of health information maintained by the clinic or facility; and may edit encounter information in the appropriate health information system as necessary.
  
• Reviews health information for completeness, consistency, accuracy, and compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and other applicable laws and regulations, department procedures, ICD-CM, and The Joint Commission standards, assuring that all relevant medical documentation is included; and enters coded medical data into the appropriate health information system and selects diagnoses and procedures codes from designated computer-based coding and abstracting systems.
  
• Abstracts and codes less complex medical and related data from patient health information for routine or surgical and medical procedures.
  
• Utilizes ICD-CM and Current Procedural Terminology/Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System (CPT/HCPCS) nomenclature, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and other coding systems as experience is gained.
  
• Logs, tracks, updates, and reconciles productivity sheets, patient visits and diagnosis records, and provider reports and metrics as needed.
  

Requirements

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:
Option I: Two years of full-time experience managing patient information, coding, and abstracting health information working as a Health Information Technician Trainee* in the service of Los Angeles County.

Option II: Satisfactory completion of an academic curriculum in an American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) approved coding program** -AND- One year of full-time experience managing patient information, coding, and abstracting health information.

Option III: Certification as a Certified Coding Associate (CCA) by AHIMA** -AND- One year of full-time experience managing patient information, coding, and abstracting health information.

Option IV: Certification as a Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)**, Certified Coding Specialist-Physician Based (CCS-P)**, Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)**, or Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) by AHIMA**.

Option V: Certification as a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) by the American Academy of Professional Coders**.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:
In the County of Los Angeles, Health Information Technician is defined as u nder the general supervision of a higher-level supervisor, Health Information Technicians collect and code health information for reimbursement, statistics, and mandatory reporting for a County hospital, clinic, or complex care facility.
* In the County of Los Angeles, Health Information Technician Trainee is defined as collect patient health information, analyze and correct chart deficiencies, and code patient information for statistics, reporting, and revenue and reimbursement for services provided.

**To qualify under Options II to V, a copy of the required certification must be submitted at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days from the last day of filing, please submit documentation to exam@dmh.lacounty.gov and indicate your name, the exam name, and the exam number.

We do not accept password-protected documents. Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching to your application or sending a copy to the exam analyst.
OUT-OF-CLASS EXPERIENCE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR THIS EXAMINATION.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE MUST BE FULLY MET BY THE LAST DAY OF FILING.

NO WITHHOLDS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
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 function.
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.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

Additional credit will be given to qualified applicants who possess the following desirable qualifications beyond the Selection Requirements.

• Experience managing disclosures of protected health information in a mental health setting that adheres to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ( HIPAA) and other privacy regulations while disclosing mental health records.
• E xperience responding to subpoenas/court orders for mental health records that adheres to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA), and privacy regulations specific to Lanterman-Petris-Short Act (LPS) providers.
• Experience running various reports and using the disclosure management module in myAvatar™ NX, and running reports in IBM Cognos.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT: This examination will consist of an evaluation of education, experience, and desirable qualifications based on information listed on the online application and supplemental questionnaire at the time of filing weighted 100%. Additional credit will be given for desirable qualifications. Applicants must achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on the examination to be placed on the eligible list.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: The names of applicants receiving a passing grade on this examination will be placed on the eligible list in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of promulgation.

SPECIAL INFORMATION: Past and present mental health clients and family members are encouraged to apply.

VACANCY INFORMATION: The resulting eligible list for this examination will be used to fill vacancies in the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.

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

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 "Apply" tab for this posting.

We must receive your application by 11:59 pm, PT, on the last day of filing.

Fill out your application completely. The acceptance of your application will depend on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the Minimum Requirements. Provide any relevant education, training, and experience in the spaces provided so we can evaluate your qualifications for the job. For each job held, give the name and address of your employer, your job title, beginning and ending dates, and description of work performed. If your application is incomplete, it will be rejected.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Please note that ALL information included in the application materials is subject to VERIFICATION at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made.

• FALSIFICATION of any information may result in DISQUALIFICATION or RESCISSION OF APPOINTMENT.

• Utilizing VERBIAGE from Class Specification and/or Minimum Requirements serving as your description of duties WILL NOT be sufficient to meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an INCOMPLETE APPLICATION, and you may be DISQUALIFIED.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance before 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 govermmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty.gov 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.

CORRESPONDENCE AND UPDATES WILL BE SENT VIA E-MAIL: For the time being, all notifications, including results letters and notices of nonacceptance, will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application. It is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add exams@dmh.lacounty.gov and info@governmentjobs.com to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail. Applicants have the ability to opt out of emails from LA County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, you can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices.

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 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 USER ID AND PASSWORD: All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member 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, 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. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).

For detailed information, please click here

Closing Date/Time: 3/4/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

• 

• Los Angeles County

• (800) 970-5478

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