Lexington Regional Health Center

Title: Director of Health Information Management

Supervisor: Chief Financial Officer

Department:  Health Information Management

FLSA Status: Exempt

Principle duties and responsibilities

1. Coordinate reimbursement functions and activities with Financial Services. Review unbilled charts and route charts to appropriate coders.  Follow-up on outliers preventing the coding of a chart.  Interact with multiple departments within the organization and other facilities.  Work closely with billing to ensure proper reimbursement, and time follow-up on denied encounters. 
2. Assign appropriate diagnostic and procedure codes to patient records.
3. Review medical records for completeness and medical necessity. This includes ensuring all necessary documentation is completed and all required fields have been signed. Electronic deficiencies are applied when necessary. 
4. Exercise responsibility for HIPAA Compliance Plan related to the Privacy Standards and serve as the designated officer to receive complaints, conduct investigations, and educate workforce on such standards.
5. Respond to subpoenas and court orders for copies of protected health information in accordance with HIPAA privacy regulations. This includes the ability to analyze authorizations for HIPAA compliance and a working knowledge of what medium to release records on.
6. Submit weekly and monthly reports to various organizations in accordance with state and federal regulations.
7. Prepare, coordinate and attend the monthly Medical Staff meeting and record meeting minutes.
8. Serve on various committees as assigned.
9. Develop an annual budget for the Health Information Management Department and ensure that budgetary expectations are met.
10. Review and update, as needed, the Health Information Management and HIPAA Privacy policies and procedures to ensure legal compliance and the effective operation of Lexington Regional Health Center, and communicate updates to employees.
11. Assume role and responsibility of Assistant Director of Health Information Management, coders and clerks.
12. Ensure patients and visitors follow current infection control guidelines.
13. Responsible for ensuring the environment meets appropriate governing body standards.
14. Duties that could include blood exposure and risk to bloodborne pathogens (eg: lacerations, handling of blood-contaminated items, etc.)
15. Work in collaboration with the Director of Financial Services and Chief Financial Officer.
16. Maintains patient and staff safety through the use of patient safety tools (Teamstepps, Just Culture, etc.).
17. Regular attendance at the assigned work location is required.
18. Performs all other duties as assigned.

Working conditions

1. Works in a normal office environment, well lighted and ventilated with minimal exposure to excessive noise, dust, temperature, etc.
2. Subject to frequent interruptions.
3. Requires auditory ability sufficient to hear the telephone with typical hearing-impaired enhancements and to hear normal conversations typical in an office setting.
4. Requires vision sufficient enough to read a computer screen with typical vision-impaired enhancements and to read entries made into the medical record.
5. Requires significant time at a desk both writing and on a computer, up to 90% of work time. Requires fine motor coordination 70% of work time. Workers are required to transport up to 8 pound stacks of paper to be placed on various shelf heights, from 13 inches from floor, up to 73 inches from floor 5% of work time. Workers are required to remove a shred paper bag from its enclosure, which weighs up to 90 pounds, and requires 2 people to remove and transport the bag 15 feet; this is completed approximately 1 time per month.

                Management responsibilities

1. Responsible for the Health Information Management Assistant Director, medical coders and clerks.  

Minimum knowledge, skills, and abilities

1. Ability to read, analyze, and interpret reports, general business directives, policy and procedure statements, and governmental regulations. Ability to use standard office equipment and computer software proficiently.  This is typically acquired through the completion of an Associate Degree with credentials of RHIA or RHITT to ensure a working knowledge of the parts of a medical record and the rules and regulations imposed on the health information management field of health care. 
2. Basic Life Support certification via American Heart Association required within six months of hire.
3. Five years experience in the health information management field required.
4. Ability to maintain strict confidentiality with regard to protected and sensitive information.
5. Ability to complete reports and correspondence at a professional level.
6. Ability to solve problems independently and confidently by applying analytical and logical thinking.
7. Ability to immediately respond to common inquiries and complaints from patients, employees and regulatory agencies.
8. Ability to effectively communicate with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
9. Ability to effectively organize and present information and respond to questions from employees and external groups of varying sizes.
10. Successful completion of required knowledge and training of standard precaution protocols and when to apply during principle duties and responsibilities.