Health Information Management Coordinator

The Job

Be an agent of change and make a difference in delivering health and wellness to millions of residents.

Join a team who is passionate about the services they provide and is committed to making a difference throughout San Bernardino County.

The San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health invites qualified professionals to apply for the position of Health Information Management Coordinator who coordinates a major health information management (HIM) function for a department; develops and provides training and implements policies, standards, and practices to ensure appropriate safeguards for patient health information; ensures compliance with privacy and security requirements; performs related duties as required.

This class is characterized by responsibility for overseeing HIM coding, operations, access and disclosure of patient information, and providing leadership in HIM governance, including properly maintaining, storing and safeguarding patient records and implementing a training program to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations. It is distinguished from the Health Information Management Supervisor which has responsibility for full-scope supervision over staff.

Examples of duties may include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Develops and maintains departmental standards, practices and procedures for proper maintenance of electronic and paper patient records in accordance with the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other federal and state regulations.
• Implements a training program and/or provides training and direction to department staff on HIM practices, including but not limited to: coding, processing, scanning, indexing, performing quality reviews, and maintenance of patient records.
• Supports various unit and departmental training initiatives, to ensure knowledge and understanding of privacy safeguards and standards, as well as verifies/evaluates application of administrative and physical safeguards within clinic and program settings.
• Reviews, authorizes or denies access to, and disclosure of, patient information and evaluates, authorizes, and makes recommendations for other requests pertaining to patient rights under HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2.
• Provides technical assistance and guidance to program and clinic staff regarding disclosure/release of medical records, retention of records, privacy laws, policies/procedures and subpoenas or third-party requests. 
• Provides subject-matter-expert input on updates and/or new policies/procedures and forms related to medical records, including access, retention and disclosure, etc. 
• Performs quality assurance reviews using key performance indicators to ensure the integrity of patient records, accuracy, and completeness, authorizes corrections as needed.
• Participates in information privacy audits; prepares reports on findings; and makes recommendations to management; assists with corrective action(s) as it pertains to patient records’ administrative and physical safeguards.
• Conducts court appearances, on behalf of Department and Custodian of Records, in response to subpoenas which may include production of records.
• Provides lead oversight of unit activities, including reviewing work, providing guidance, assigning work and/or providing technical assistance.
• Provides vacation and temporary relief as required.

For additional details, please refer to the Health Information Management Coordinator job description. 

The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) is responsible for providing mental health and substance use disorder services to county residents who are experiencing major mental illness or substance abuse related issues. DBH provides mental health and substance use disorder treatment services to all age groups, with a primary emphasis on treating children/youth who may be seriously emotionally disturbed, adults who are experiencing a serious and persistent mental illness, and individuals who are experiencing substance use disorders. DBH also provides an array of outreach/engagement, prevention, and early intervention services. DBH’s core values are service, integrity, accountability, and trust.

DBH is a unique County Department comprised of six (6) service areas: Outpatient Clinics and Youth Services; Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Services; 24-Hour and Emergency Services; Forensic and Homeless Services; Administrative Services; and Program Support Services. The Department currently has a workforce in excess of 1000 positions and an approximate $700 million-dollar annual budget.

Click HERE to learn more about the Department of Behavioral Health

Click HERE to learn more about San Bernardino County

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CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Pre-Employment Process: Prior to appointment, applicants must pass a background investigation, which includes fingerprinting, credit check, and/or medical exam, which may include drug and/or TB testing. Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen or a permanent U.S. resident.

Travel: Travel throughout the County may be required. Employees will be required to make provision for transportation (mileage reimbursement is available at current IRS rates). A valid California Class C driver license and proof of automobile liability insurance must be produced and maintained for the individual providing the transportation. Statewide and national travel is occasionally required.

Sponsorship: Please note San Bernardino County is not able to consider candidates who will require visa sponsorship at the time of application or in the future.

Minimum Requirements

Experience: Three (3) years of experience, within the last five (5) years, with the preparation and maintenance of medical records in a health information/medical records department in a hospital or outpatient setting. Experience must include two (2) years of experience using an electronic medical records system. Experience may be concurrent.

• AND–

Credentials: Must be credentialed as a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) OR Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA).

Selection Process

There will be a competitive evaluation of qualifications based on the information provided in the Application and the Supplemental Questionnaire. You are encouraged to include detailed descriptions of your qualifying experience, as only the most highly qualified applicants will be referred to the Department. Please ensure all relevant experience is indicated in the Application and responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire, as resumes and other attachments will not be reviewed for the competitive evaluation. 

Completing your application with statements such as “see/refer to resume” or “see attached” rather than completing your work history may affect your eligibility or competitive evaluation score. Be sure to clearly describe your experience in meeting the minimum requirements.

If you require technical assistance, please click HERE to review the Government Jobs online application guide, or contact their Toll-Free Applicant Support line at (855) 524-5627. Please note that Human Resources is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by computer or browser used to submit the application. 

EEO/ADA: San Bernardino County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant employer, committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants. 

ADA Accommodation: If you have a disability and require accommodations in the testing process, submit the Special Testing Accommodations Request Form (Download PDF reader) (Download PDF reader) within one week of a recruitment filing deadline.

Veterans’ Preference: Eligible veterans and their spouse or widow(er) who are not current County employees may be awarded additional Veterans’ Preference points. Click HERE (Download PDF reader) for information and instructions to request Veteran’s Preference points.

Please click HERE for important Applicant Information and the County Employment Process.

Administrative Services Unit

The County of San Bernardino offers a range of benefit programs for employees and their eligible dependents. These include health, dental, vision, and life insurance, as well as a variety of voluntary benefits. Programs and benefit amounts vary and are based on bargaining unit, family size, hire date, plan selection, and number of hours worked.

For a summary of benefits, please click here (Download PDF reader).

Refer to the appropriate MOU, contact the County’s Employee Benefits and Services Division at (909) 387-5787 or visit the Benefits website for more detailed information at hr.sbcounty.gov/employee-benefits/.

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