Health Information Management Technician

CareSouth•Baton Rouge, LA

About The Position

The Health Information Management Technician (HIM Tech) serves as custodian of medical records and maintains their confidentiality, completeness, accuracy, and organization in accordance with organizational policies, AHIMA guidelines, HIPAA, and applicable medical-records laws. The role primarily responds to requests from attorneys, patients, physicians, insurance companies, and other parties for copies of medical records. The HIM Tech coordinates and processes requests to release medical information, subpoenas and court orders, and patient-form completion requests and payments. The role logs and tracks incoming requests, responds through phone, fax, and mail, audits active-patient records for compliance, maintains tracking logs, and prepares monthly activity and performance reports. Additional duties include monitoring incoming faxes, distributing them to the appropriate department, scanning provider-completed forms into patient charts, orienting staff on records procedures, and supporting effective teamwork and customer service. The position requires maintaining knowledge of relevant privacy rules, laws, procedures, and healthcare standards; safeguarding patient and workplace information; and following workplace health and safety and quality-assurance policies. The HIM Tech works independently, maintains service coverage, may travel among CareSouth sites as needed, and performs other duties as assigned. No staff are supervised.

Requirements

High school diploma required.
Experience using Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and an electronic medical records system.
Knowledge of medical-records procedures and laws.
Intermediate knowledge of the HIPAA Privacy Rule and medical terminology.
Strong team-based, results-oriented, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Knowledge of healthcare laws, regulations, and standards.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Ability to organize and prioritize, work independently, and schedule and produce work in a timely manner.
Ability to travel among CareSouth sites if needed.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree and/or certification, such as RHIA or RHIT.
Certified Medical Assistant background.
Experience in medical-records management, operations, and request processing.

Responsibilities

Serve as custodian of records and maintain medical records’ confidentiality, completeness, accuracy, maintenance, and organization.
Maintain working knowledge of HIPAA rules and regulations and applicable Louisiana medical-records laws, and apply them to daily operations.
Coordinate, process, and manage the release of medical information to patients, insurance companies, attorneys, and state and federal agencies.
Process subpoenas and court orders.
Coordinate and process patient-form completion requests, such as disability and home health forms, including related payments.
Date-stamp and log all requests for records.
Handle record requests received by phone, fax, and mail and provide copies according to organizational policies and procedures.
Audit active-patient clinical records for compliance with accepted professional and legal standards.
Maintain correspondence and medical-records tracking logs.
Prepare and provide monthly reports of medical-records activities and performance.
Orient staff on medical-records processes, policies, and procedures as needed.
Maintain adequate service coverage and practice effective teamwork and positive interpersonal relationships.
Follow applicable federal, state, and local workplace health and safety policies, procedures, and programs.
Ensure compliance with the Quality Assurance/Improvement Plan and maintain confidentiality of workplace information.
Provide excellent customer service.
Monitor the medical-records fax drive for incoming faxes and distribute them to the appropriate department.
Assist with scanning provider-completed forms into patients’ charts.
Work independently and self-direct work tasks; perform other duties as assigned.