File Clerk

Veterans Health Administration • Fresno, CA

16h • Onsite

About The Position

The File Clerk works in the Health Information Management section under Health Administration Services at the Central California Healthcare System in Fresno, California. The position maintains accessible health records and supports direct and indirect patient care by managing the receipt, scanning, indexing, quality control, destruction, and transfer of medical and administrative information. The clerk handles information arriving at and leaving the medical center and indexes active and backlogged documentation into Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) Imaging, attaching images to the appropriate electronic health record.

The work requires accurate, timely, and fiscally responsible file-room services and scanning or importing of clinical documentation, including documentation from specified VAMCs. The clerk uses computerized record systems and office software to file, retrieve, track, and maintain records, and ensures documents can be located through text searches and cross-references in CPRS, VistA Imaging Capture, and linked VHA SharePoint dashboards. Accuracy and attention to detail are important because proper indexing supports providers’ timely access to records and patient safety.

The File Clerk reviews records for scanning criteria, identifies and classifies documents, prepares paper records for scanning, verifies patient identifiers, scans and indexes records, and checks image quality and record integrity. The role also provides recommendations to improve filing and scanning procedures, supplies statistical data on loose filing and unaccounted files, and takes on other administrative duties as assigned. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or as determined by the supervisor.

Requirements

• Six months of experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression; qualifying experience may include knowledge of imaging applications, PC scanning applications, and VistA applications; computer skills for scanning, image indexing, and tracking errors and other data; and knowledge of medical and administrative record content, document filing sequences, filing systems, and procedures.
• Alternatively, one year of education above high school may substitute for the required experience, or a qualifying combination of education and experience beyond one year above high school.
• Current or former Federal employees subject to the time-in-grade requirement must have served 52 weeks at the required grade and provide documentation demonstrating eligibility.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must complete the application, questionnaire, and required online assessment.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Subject to a background/security investigation and required online onboarding.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel requirement.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• If qualifying based wholly or partly on education, must submit transcripts; foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with the transcript.
• Must be flexible in managing workloads that vary from day to day.
• Careful review and attention to detail are required.

Responsibilities

• Receive, intake, scan, index, quality-check, destroy, and transfer medical and administrative information.
• Control information arriving at and leaving the medical center from the Health Information Management section.
• Perform file-room services and scan or import newly generated and backlogged clinical documentation for inclusion in health records.
• Use computerized recordkeeping and tracking systems to file, retrieve, and track records using terminal-digit numeric and alphabetic filing systems.
• Use Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Excel, and Word in support of recordkeeping, correspondence, and tracking operations.
• Receive, index, scan, and assign appropriate nomenclature to health and administrative information for incorporation into the correct patient's CPRS record.
• Tag, label, and categorize records; identify key identifiers and enable cross-referencing and retrieval through text-based searches in CPRS, VistA Imaging Capture, and linked VHA SharePoint dashboards.
• Review records for scanning criteria and determine appropriate document classification and indexing locations in the patient chart.
• Prepare paper documents for scanning by removing paper clips, staples, tape, and loose hanging tape, and ensure records are identified with name, date of birth, and last four digits of SSN before scanning.
• Scan loose filing and index it to the appropriate Clinical or Administrative setup in VistA Imaging.
• Index documents imported from other devices or sources, including PDF, TIFF, and JPEG files, in VistA Imaging.
• Associate scanned documents with the correct patient and note in CPRS, except where documents are administrative or clinical document types.
• Confirm record integrity and review image quality in the VistA Imaging display after scanning and indexing.
• Carry out regular quality checks according to prescribed timeframes and criteria, using PCNistA application bridges to index information.
• Recommend improvements to filing and scanning procedures and provide statistical data related to loose filing and previously or currently unaccounted files.
• Adapt to fluctuating workloads and perform other administrative duties as assigned by the Chief of HIM or File Room Supervisor.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package available to the employee and family; specific benefits depend on position eligibility and are available from the hiring agency.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED