HEALTH INFORMATION ASSOCIATE/CORRECTIONAL HEALTH

Position/Program Information

EXAM NUMBER Y1416G - DOJ

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT

Open Competitive - EMERGENCY

FIRST DAY OF FILING:

March 27, 2025 at 8:00 A.M., (PT)

This opportunity will remain open until the needs of the services are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.

Los Angeles County is under a Department of Justice Consent Decree to improve conditions and mental health care in County jails, as well as supporting justice-involved populations post-release. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to help us in the mission of providing a range of services both in the jail and community. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the justice-involved population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you.

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Health Information Associate vacancies related to the DOJ Consent Decree.

Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment.
Before the end of your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%.

Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Health Information Associate.

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 25 health centers and four 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.

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:

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.
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.

YOU MUST MEET THE ABOVE REQUIREMENT(S) IN ORDER TO BE APPOINTED TO FILL ANY VACANCY RELATED TO THIS RECRUITMENT.

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 REQUIREMENTS INFORMATION:
Certificate Information:
*Approved coding programs are those listed on the website of the American Health Information Management Association at www.ahima.org.
**In order to qualify under Option II, you must attach a certificate of completion exhibiting completion of an AHIMA approved coding program.

***Applicants must attach a legible copy of any/all required certificates to your application at the time of filing or email the required document to the exam analyst at kshelvy@dhs.lacounty.gov within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing your application online. When emailing documents, please include the exam number and exam title. Applications submitted without the required certificates will be rejected.

Please ensure to complete the Certification/License Section of the application. Provide the title of the certificate, the number, date issued, date of expiration and the name of the issuing agency as specified in the Selection Requirements.

All required licenses and certifications must be active and unrestricted, or your application will not be accepted.

No Out-of-Class experience will be accepted.

VACANCY INFORMATION:
The current vacancies are to be filled within Correctional Health.

OUR ASSESSMENT PROCESS:
Before the end of your initial work period, the appointing department will evaluate your performance. Those who achieve a passing score on this evaluation will be considered for permanent appointment.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: 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.

Additional Information

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:
Applications must be filed online only.

Many important notifications will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add JRodriguez@dhs.lacounty.gov , as well as noreply@governmentjobs.com , 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.

You 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.

Plan to submit your online application in a timely manner, 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:
Jenny Rodriguez, Exam Analyst
JRodriguez@dhs.lacounty.gov

ADA COORDINATOR PHONE: (323) 914-6365

CALIFORNIA RELAY SERVICES PHONE: (800) 735-2922

For detailed information, please click here

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