Medical Records Technician (Cancer Registrar)

Description:

The Medical Records Technician (Cancer Registrar) works in a specialized position to maintain and contribute to Cancer Registry data, works collaboratively within the Cancer Registry to meet the standards of regulatory and accrediting agencies related to the Cancer Program of the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (BPVAHCS). They are responsible for activities of the Cancer Registry including abstracting, case finding, follow-up and annual 10% peer review of cases.

Requirements:

Basic Requirements :

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

English Language Proficiency: Medical Records Technician must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

Experience and Education:

• Experience: One year of experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology and general understanding of the health record. Six months of the required one year of experience must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to perform MRT work.

OR,

• Education-Transcripts Submitted: Two years above high school with a minimum of 12 semester hours directly related to MRT work (e.g., courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and introduction to health records).

OR,

• Experience / Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. The following educational/training substitutions are appropriate for combining education and experience:
  • Six months of experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology and general understanding of the health record and one year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health information technology courses.
  • Successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces or the U.S. Maritime Service under close medical and professional supervision. Training may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to six months of experience, provided the training program included courses in anatomy, physiology, and medical record techniques and procedures. The position requires six additional months of experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology and general understanding of the health record.

Grade Determinations for Medical Records Technician (Cancer Registrar), GS-08 :

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower level (GS-07) (Must be demonstrated on resume). KSAs at the GS-07 grade level are:

• Knowledge of pathophysiology to understand the spread of the cancer disease process.
• Ability to analyze the electronic health record and enter appropriate data into the OncoTrax cancer registry software abstract.
• Knowledge of American College of Surgeons (ACoS) standards regarding tumor boards, including clinical staging, prognostic indicators, clinical guidelines, and clinical trials availability.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate (ON RESUME) all of the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of professional registry operations.
• Knowledge of medical terminology, staging of cancer, and requirements of internal and external approving organizations.
• Knowledge of the cancer committee processes and procedures to improve patient care and verify compliance with American College of Surgeons (ACoS) and/or facility standards.
• Ability to serve as a subject matter expert on cancer programs for the medical center.
• Skill in utilizing electronic health records and cancer registry software.

Preferred Experience:

• Possess and maintain Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) credential.
• In-depth knowledge of Cancer Program and Tumor Registry operations and procedures as evidenced by formal education and training in this area.
• Knowledge of and ability to uses reference manuals (The international Classification of Diseases for Oncology, The American Joint Committee (AJCC) on Cancer Staging Manual, Extent of Disease Manual, and SERR Summary Staging Manual) for information on tumor nomenclature, classification and staging for incorporating the correct information into the registry.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08.

Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to complete the work. However, there may be some walking, standing, bending and carrying of light items such as patient records supplies and letter mail.