Health Information Technician

NMC is currently recruiting a Health Information Technician, in Health Information Management. The position is full-time (80 hours bi-weekly), generally Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Northwestern Medical Center’s mission is to provide exceptional health care to our community. Join our high reliability team! With “people” as one of our core values, valuing our employees is a top priority for Northwestern. We care about our employees, their families, and their overall health & well-being. We are proud to offer a generous benefits package, with recognized national carriers, designed to help our people stay healthy, balance work & life responsibilities, protect your assets & plan for a secure financial future.

Hiring Range: $16.63 - $23.23

Health Information Technician

JOB SUMMARY:

·         The HIM Tech serves as primary contact for patients, departments, insurers, healthcare providers, medical offices and other third parties. In response to request from such persons, receives, reviews, and releases protected health information in compliance with current medical record confidentiality statutes and hospital policies.  

Verification and processing of requests for patient information. Completes birth certificates consistent with statutes. Preps, scans and assigns form identification of patient records for scanning into computer system and performs regular routine quality assessment of documents. Scans and records Advance Directives ensuring the availability in the EMR for clinical staff.

PRE-REQUISITES:

• Education:  High school graduate or equivalent required. 
  
  Experience:  Two years of experience working in a medical setting preferred.

RELATIONSHIPS:

• Reports To:
• • Revenue Cycle Manager
• Supervises:
• Other Contacts: 
• • Providers, all hospital employees, patients and their families, law enforcement, legal representatives, medical office staff and the public.

SCOPE:

• Machinery or Equipment Used:
• • Personal computer, microfilm scanner/printer, fax machine, laser printer, copier.
• Physical Demands:
• • Mostly sedentary work. Manual dexterity and mobility. Occasional reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, crouching and lifting.
• Working Conditions: 
• • Office environment, occasional pressure due to multiple calls and inquiries, subject to many interruptions.
• Required Protective Equipment:

o    n/a

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Acts as the main point of contact for the department with external customers and internal departments. Answers phone calls, directs mail and fax communications. Demonstrates strong customer service skills and ability to effectively communicate.

Consistent processing of requests for patient information within federal and state regulations.

1. • Logs requests for patient information into the approved tracking systems.
   • Reviews and verifies requests for patient information.
   • Provides follow-up correspondence with requesting parties.
   • Collects, produces and sorts the information requested for internal processing and/or Healthport processing.

Scans loose papers (consents, releases, records from other facilities etc.) and completed charts. Uploads electronically when available nuclear stress tests, echocardiograms, other records as available from electronic databases not interfaced. Ensures accuracy of patient scanning and uploading.

• Completion of Birth Certificate Process (Interview, log, EBRS, transmit document to the state)

May be cross-trained to cover any of the following areas which may have 1-2 people assigned on a regular basis:

1. • Completion of Birth Certificate Process (Interview, log, EBRS, transmit document to the state)

1. • Death Record upkeep (Expiring patients by reviewing Obituaries, utilizing the EDRS to expire patients)

1. • Chart/Record Analysis

1. • Deficiency/Delinquency Tracking

1. • Maintenance of Advanced Directives (Filing of paper hard copy for downtime, scanning to update most recent copy)

1. • Merges duplicate medical records

1. • Supply ordering for department

1. • HIM@nmcinc.org email group

Enrolls, troubleshoots, and manages the EMR Portal.

1. • Portal error log

1. • Portal consent emails and troubleshooting with patients

Covers the Release of Information desk located in the MOB. Greet patients, release records, and enroll patients in the portal.

Processes requests for digital images to be placed on CD, DVD, or pushed to another facility.

Ingesting and uploading of imaging for DI

Processing of REF Labs

Creation and maintenance of forms approved by Form Committee