POSITION SUMMARY
Responsible for the leadership and oversight of patient registration, health information management (HIM), medical records, and patient benefits coordination at LHC. This position ensures the accuracy, integrity, confidentiality, and accessibility of patient health records and registration data while ensuring compliance with HIPAA and all applicable legal and ethical standards. As Privacy Officer, this role also leads the development and implementation of the clinic’s privacy program, ensuring full compliance with federal and state privacy laws. The manager supports clinical operations by organizing, analyzing, and safeguarding health information and coordinating with other healthcare professionals to ensure accurate and complete medical documentation. The role also includes supervisory responsibilities and operational analysis to continuously improve efficiency, customer service, and staff performance.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
1. Organize, manage, and protect all health information data including medical histories, diagnoses, test results, procedures, and provider documentation. Manage requests for medical records in compliance with established clinic policies and federal privacy laws
2. Maintain electronic health records (EHR), ensure data accuracy, and oversee coding practices related to billing and documentation.
3. Develop, implement, and maintain the clinic’s privacy program ensuring compliance with HIPAA and all applicable regulations.
4. Conduct regular audits, risk assessments, and investigations into privacy concerns.
5. Serve as a subject matter expert and trainer on privacy laws and best practices.
6. Manage all functions of the patient registration process, including insurance verification and benefits enrollment and coordination.
7. Supervise patient registration/benefits staff to ensure timely, efficient, and accurate data collection. Establish workflows to optimize patient flow and ensure a positive patient experience.
8. Analyze health data to identify trends that inform clinical, operational, and administrative decision-making including GPRA and other quality initiatives. Prepare, compile and coordinate the completion of various reports on daily, weekly, monthly or other established routine schedule.
9. Conduct routine audits to verify data quality and ensure compliance with internal procedures and external regulations.
10. Coordinate with clinical staff to ensure documentation is accurate, complete, and supports quality patient care.
11. Oversee onboarding, training, evaluation, and daily supervision of health information, registration and benefits staff.
12. Set performance expectations, provide coaching/corrective action, and support staff development to ensure high-quality service delivery.
13. Monitor and manage department budget; track expenses and adjust resources as needed.
14. Develop and update policies and procedures for assigned departments in accordance with federal, state, tribal, and internal requirements.
15. Maintain strict adherence to legal, ethical, and professional guidelines for health information security and patient confidentiality.
17. Collaborate with providers, nurses, administrative staff, and external agencies to ensure seamless access to patient information and services. Coordinate and participate in outreach activities within the community.
18. Act as liaison between departments for health information and patient registration needs. Serve as patient advocate.
19. Assist the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer with provider scheduling and clinic operations planning as needed.
20. Develop and deliver training to new and existing staff on systems (e.g., EHR/RPMS), privacy regulations, workflows, and organizational procedures.
21. Provide operational insight and support for department and clinic-wide initiatives.
22. Recommend and implement enhancements to workflows, technology systems, and compliance efforts.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s Degree in health information management, healthcare administration or related field from an accredited college or university plus five (5) years of experience in health information, patient access or registration services with one (1) year supervisory/managerial experience OR any combination of post-secondary education and/or experience totaling ten (10) years in health information management with one (1) year supervisory/managerial experience.
Must possess current Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) or Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) certification OR must obtain within three (3) months of employment with LHC.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- In-depth understanding of Health Information Management (HIM) principles, including medical recordkeeping, data accuracy, and healthcare documentation standards and reporting.
- Strong working knowledge of HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules, 42 CFR Part 2, and other federal, state and tribal privacy regulations.
- Familiarity with tribal health systems, Indian Health Service (IHS) guidelines, and healthcare operations in indigenous communities.
- Knowledge of electronic health record systems (e.g., RPMS, NextGen, Cerner) and health IT best practices.
- Understanding of medical terminology, coding practices (ICD, CPT), and billing requirements.
- Awareness of healthcare regulatory requirements, compliance auditing, and privacy program implementation.
- Knowledge of patient registration and benefits coordination processes, including insurance verification, eligibility determination, and third-party billing workflows.
- Understanding of budget planning, resource allocation, and staff management within a healthcare environment.
- Strong leadership and supervisory skills including team building, performance management, and conflict resolution.
- Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills to evaluate operations, audit data, and propose process improvements.
- High-level organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced clinical setting.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills to interact with patients, staff, providers, administrators, and external entities.
- Skilled in data analysis and report generation for tracking performance indicators, compliance metrics, and operational efficiency.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook) and healthcare data management systems.
- Competency in training and onboarding staff on procedures, privacy laws, and software systems.
- Ability to interpret and apply federal, state, and other applicable policies in real-world.
- Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and handle sensitive patient information with cultural sensitivity and professional integrity.
- Ability to develop and implement departmental policies and procedures in compliance with healthcare laws and standards.
- Ability to analyze complex data and make evidence-based decisions to support clinic operations and patient care.
- Ability to collaborate effectively across departments and work as a liaison between clinical, administrative, and compliance teams.
- Ability to lead and adapt to change, especially in response to regulatory updates, emerging technologies, and clinic growth.
- Ability to assess staff training needs, provide feedback, and support continuous professional development.
- Ability to represent the organization in a positive, respectful, and culturally appropriate manner in both internal and external settings.
