Position overview

The Decision Support Unit (DSU) is led by an Executive Group Manager reporting to the Chief Finance Officer within Canberra Health Services (CHS).
The DSU’s role includes:

• Promoting accountability to achieve strategic goals and building organisational capability to align Activity Based Funding (ABF) and Operational Planning
• provision of ICT Services for CHS
• provision of data quality
• provision of Health Information Services
• supporting the efficient use of the Digital Health Record (informatics) and providing the liaison point between CHS and the DHR provider.
• provision of decision support services to enable operational and non-operational planning and quality reporting.

Clinical coding is an essential function for Canberra Health Services to facilitate accurate funding reimbursement, to support clinical research and education, to assist in the planning and evaluation of health care services and to fulfil local and mandatory national data submission requirements.

This role is a combined coding/auditing/educator role. In addition to some routine clinical coding responsibilities, you will also be required to train new coders and assess ongoing coder education needs through regular coding audits. You will play a key role in determining appropriate Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) allocation, optimising coding throughput, ensuring targets and key performance indicators are met, conducting coding quality audits involving interactive case mix reviews with clinical staff as well as providing training, mentoring and support to the clinical coding team.

Key Responsibilities

Under limited direction from the Clinical Coding Manager, you will provide leadership in clinical coding, conduct audits, deliver education, and delegated functions to support both Clinical Coders and the Coding Manager. You will:

1. Perform tertiary level clinical coding for all Canberra Hospital and University of Canberra Hospital inpatient episodes.
2. Perform comprehensive clinical coding audits to ensure coding accuracy and optimal DRG allocation and manage a continuous quality improvement strategy, including providing recommendations and feedback as appropriate.
3. Provide training, education, mentoring, support and development to Clinical Coding staff.
4. Liaise with Clinical Documentation Specialists and Clinical staff as appropriate to improve clinical record documentation to optimise coding accuracy and DRG allocation, whilst adhering to case mix submission deadlines and in-house reporting timeframes.
5. Maintain coding skills through attendance at educational sessions, research and study of current coding and health literature and contact with Clinicians.
6. Assist with planning, testing and implementation of changes to coding and grouping systems.
7. Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

Competencies

Specific competencies include but are not limited to the following:

• Ability working in a multi-disciplined team environment and supporting and contributing to a healthy workplace that embraces diversity and encourages collaborative teamwork.
• Demonstrated leadership qualities in positively influencing teams, processes, and practice improvement in health service environments.
• Complies with all the applicable regulatory and legislative requirements set out for such a role in a changing work environment.
• Demonstrated ability to respond to and prioritise competing demands within required timeframes, while maintaining high professional standards and delivering work efficiently and accurately.

Qualifications

Essential

• Tertiary qualifications or equivalent in Health Information Management (or equivalent) or eligibility for full membership of the Health Information Management Association of Australia.

Desirable

• Completion of a clinical coding auditing course.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 3 years’ recent clinical coding experience in a tertiary hospital.

Desirable

• Recent clinical coding auditing and/or education experience.
• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Prior to commencement

Appointment to this position is conditional on being granted and retaining appropriate clearances:

• Undergo a pre-employment National Police Check.

Important information

All employees are required to:

• Adhere to the Canberra Health Services Values and the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct.
• Act in accordance and comply with all relevant Safety and Quality policies and procedures.

CHS is leading the drive to digitally transform health service delivery in Australia through the implementation of a territory wide Digital Health Record. Computer literacy skills are required which are relevant to this role as you will be responsible for completing required documentation and becoming a proficient user of the Digital Health Record and/or other Information Technology systems; once proficient, you will need to remain current with changes, updates, and contingencies.

What you Require (Key Selection Criteria)

These are the key selection criteria for how you will be assessed in conjunction with your resumé and experience.

1. Proven in-depth knowledge of clinical coding principles, standards, practices, and procedures, with extensive experience using the current edition of ICD-10-AM across a broad range of Casemix at a tertiary facility level. Demonstrated understanding of Casemix, DRGs, and clinical documentation requirements.
2. Proven ability to conduct coding accuracy audits, perform analysis on coded data and implement other coding quality activities. This includes the ability to evaluate and advise on issues impacting clinical coding accuracy, timeliness and DRG allocation.
3. Proven ability to identify, plan, develop and deliver day to day coding operations, education and training to Clinical Coders, both individually and within a group.
4. Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills, in particular the ability to liaise with health professionals on matters of clinical documentation and coding.
5. Demonstrates understanding of, and adherence to, safety and quality standards, work, health and safety (WH&S) and the positive patient experience. Displays behavior consistent with CHS’s values of reliable, progressive, respectful and kind.

Work environment description

The following work environment description outlines the inherent requirements of the role and indicates how frequently each of these requirements would need to be performed. Please note that the ACT Public Service is committed to providing reasonable adjustments and ensuring all individuals have equal opportunities in the workplace.