Manager Coding Operations

Job description

At Houston Methodist, the Manager Coding Operations position is responsible for the day-to-day operations of managing the inpatient/outpatient coding staff and managing the coding workflow for Houston Methodist.

This role will identify and resolve issues impeding workflow or coding process.

The Manager, Coding Operations position works collaboratively with the other Coding management to deploy the overall strategy for system-wide coding operations consistent with Houston Methodist strategic plans.
The position responsibilities include managing the daily work activities of the work unit/department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence and efficiency while assisting management in accomplishing strategic and operational objectives.

In addition, this position provides guidance to staff and is responsible for staffing, budget compliance, contributing to staffing decisions such as hiring and terminating employment, coaching and counseling employees on work related performance, and assisting in the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment.

This position also implements training, monitoring and operations initiatives that secure compliance with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation/regulatory/ government regulations.

**PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**

+ Performs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees in the department.

Provides development and mentoring of staff.

Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover.

Develops direct reports to perform these same functions.

+ Provides fair and consistent leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting regular department meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all employees, completing performance appraisals, conducting new hire feedback sessions, coaching/corrective counseling, and providing recognition/commendations to achieve desired outcomes.

Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem.

+ Facilitates and promotes effective team dynamics and teambuilding strategies within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed.

+ Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators.

+ Establishes and maintains strong, effective working relationships with physicians, peers and healthcare professionals; effectively communicates with internal and external customers, including CDMP, IT, Case Management, Patient Access, Business Office, Business Intelligence, nursing units and other departments within Houston Methodist.

**SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**

+ Plans and organizes day-to-day department operations, schedule and activities.

Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.

+ Drives department service standards and activities to impact department and/or system score for patient/customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability.

Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a voice for the department.

+ Provides coding and abstracting support to (but not limited to) Patient Registration, Patient Accounting, Case Management, Information Technology, Transaction Management, Performance Improvement, Medical Staff, Nursing and other ancillary hospital departments.

**QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**

+ Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines.

+ Uses and optimizes information systems to enhance operations; supports entity-specific performance improvement and data management/analysis functions.

+ Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes by monitoring and improving the department workflow, using peer-to-peer accountability, and identifying solutions via collaboration.

Adopts lean principles in driving process improvements.

Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.

+ Monitors self and employee compliance with policies, procedures, and System HR Standards of Practice and performs associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).

+ Ensures goals are met by direct reports.

Develops and reports performance metrics for assigned area under the direction of the Coding Operations Director.

+ Ensures that coding is performed accurately and ethically, in accordance with nationally established rules and guidelines based upon documentation within the medical record.

+ Identifies issues related to missing records or documentation and appropriately communicates to service areas; tracks, trends, and reports these issues to the Coding Operations Director.

**FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**

+ Assists in the development of department budget and ensures that the department operates in a cost effective manner.

Manages/audits department expenses within approved budget parameters, ensuring that the department meets the budgeted/flex revenue and/or expense targets on a monthly and annual basis.

Develops staffing plans and schedules to meet department needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.

+ Implements department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, developing others to do the same, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications.

+ Supports meeting organizational goals for Accounts Receivables.

**GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**

+ Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department operations or other department-specific measures by leading unit projects and/or other department/system directed activities.

Supports change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures.

+ Proactively evaluates processes; recommends and implements action plan(s) for change; follows through to ensure effective, sustainable change.

Participates in the development and implementation of new procedures and the review and revision of existing procedures.

+ Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one's area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals.

+ Seeks opportunities to identify developmental needs of self and staff and takes appropriate action.

Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management.

Completes and updates My Development plan on an on-going basis.

Conducts conversations with staff on their development.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned.

Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

**EDUCATION**

+ Bachelor's degree (healthcare field preferred) required or additional four years of experience (in addition to the minimum experience requirements listed below) required in lieu of degree

**WORK EXPERIENCE**

+ Six years of experience in coding operations with three years progressively responsible staff experience or management in a hospital environment

+ May consider HM employee with one year less experience who demonstrates progressive leadership abilities

**LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED**

+ Must have one of the following:
+ • RHIT - Certified Health Information Technician (AHIMA)
+ • RHIA - Registered Health Information Administrator (AHIMA)
+ • CCS - Certified Coding Specialist (AHIMA)

**KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES**

+ Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

+ Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

+ Ability to effectively communicate through a variety of channels with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles; engages the recipient(s) and helps them understand and retain the message

+ Demonstrates the ability to interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one's intentions and those of the organization

+ Ability to use appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one's own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations and individuals involved

+ Demonstrates leadership qualities and critical thinking through self-direction initiative and effective interpersonal skills and oral/written communication skills

+ Ability to identify and understand issues, problems and opportunities, comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences

+ Ability to work effectively in a fast paced environment

+ Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in the workplace

+ Expert knowledge and proficiency in the following:

+ ICD-10-CM/ICD-10-PCS and CPT/HCPCS coding classification systems

+ MS-DRG, APR DRG and APC assignment systems

+ Official coding guidelines and coding compliance

+ Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, disease processes and pharmacology

+ Knowledge of all components of the medical record

+ Proficient with electronic encoder application

+ Extensive computer knowledge and familiarity with systems used in health care

+ Proficient in Microsoft Office products

**SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS**

**WORK ATTIRE**

+ Uniform No
+ Scrubs No
+ Business professional Yes
+ Other (department approved) No

**ON-CALL***
_*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie.

DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below._

+ On Call* No

**TRAVEL****
_**Travel specifications may vary by department**_

+ May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
+ May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

**Company Profile:**

Houston Methodist is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers.

Houston Methodist consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, and seven community hospitals throughout the greater Houston area.

Houston Methodist also includes an academic institute, a comprehensive residency program, a global business division, numerous physician practices and several free-standing emergency rooms and outpatient facilities.

Overall, Houston Methodist employs more than 27,000 employees and is supported by a wide variety of business functions that operate at the system level to help enable clinical departments to provide high quality patient care.

Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Required Skill Profession

Other General