Associate Director for Coding and Charge Capture: Professional Billing Office in Charlestown, MA
Job Location:Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA


Job Description:

Associate Director of Coding and Charge Capture sets and carries out the strategic direction, mission and vision for the MGPO Professional Billing Office coding, charge entry, batch control office services and MGPO cashier's office. Has overall administrative responsibility for the organization, direction and management of the coding and charge capture functions in the organization. The Associate Director is responsible for a staff of 80 with six (6) direct reports and an expense budget of $2 million. Responsible for ensuring that billing charge goal in excess of $1.200 billion annually is met. Responsible for the efficient operation of the units ensuring the highest quality, cost-effective services are delivered.


Principle Duties and Responsibilities:

Direct the efforts of the Coding, Charge Entry, Cashier's and Batch Control unit leadership to develop, implement and administer a strategic plan for their respective units. Monitor the progress of goal attainment and provide direction and guidance where needed.

Serve as a member of the senior leadership team of the MGPO Professional Billing Office. Participates in the establishment of the organizational goals to best support the overall mission and objectives of the MGPO and the Professional Billing Office. Assumes responsibility and completes assignments on behalf of the senior management team.

Achieve excellence in performance by working collaboratively with others on MGPO and MPGO Professional Billing Office initiatives.

Maintain high standards of professional conduct at all times. Represents the MGPO Professional Billing Office at events and projects external to the organization.

Participate in planning, negotiating and implementing new programs for the units. Holds the authority to negotiate with vendors on behalf of the MGPO Professional Billing Office. Works with Partners legal to shepherd contracts through the approval process.

Provide responsible financial planning, budgeting, monitoring and execution to support cost-effective services. Develops, justifies, and implements annual operating and capital budgets working with the MGPO Professional Billing Office Director. Performs cost-benefit analysis for any new proposed programs. Responds to institutional requirements to adjust budget owing to program expansion as well as retrenchment. Generate and implements new ideas for reducing costs while maintaining similar or better service levels.

The AD will ensure the provision of high quality services by ensuring that adequate staffing resources exist for each unit that is consistent with the unit's workload and budget/productivity indicators.

Provide the proper supervision, environment and reporting structure to assure productivity, performance and well being of employees in the units. Provides clear channels of communication, delegation and accountability within the units for effective supervision and problem solving.

Provide opportunities of continuing education, skill training and upward mobility for employees. Creates an environment that encourages productivity, loyalty, job satisfaction and positive reinforcement.

The AD will ensure that quality services are delivered to the customer. Ensure units have adequate monitoring plans are in place with appropriate reward and corrective action systems. Monitor key performance indicators and work with unit leaders to adjust operations accordingly to meet unit objectives. Report key indicators to MGPO senior leadership as required.

Work with QA leadership to ensure that the coding unit of the MGPO Professional Billing Office have adequate quality assurance programs and documentation standards are in place. Monitor and report quality results at regular intervals.

The AD must keep abreast of the rapidly changing technological and regulatory aspect related to health information technology, specifically coding, compliance, charge capture and the electronic medical record, and provide leadership in these areas to MGPO Professional Billing Office staff.

Leverage technology to improve processes. Be forward thinking with regard to the use of technology and its application to current processes. Utilize existing technologies to the fullest to ensure revenue optimization and operations are efficient (examples include coding editing systems, computer-assisted coding, online coding tools).

Identifies need for and initiates IT solutions to improve operations. Participates in the full life cycle of the project including participating in the design, development or acquisition, implementation and evaluation phases. Writes the business case, develops functional specifications/requirements documents, participates in the decision to buy or develop, implements new systems with proper planning and training, revises work procedures, develops and/or updates user manuals for computer systems, works with Partners Information Systems for hardware needs and ongoing maintenance.

Design efficient work flow, equipment and space utilization to support the programs. Leverage telework, where appropriate, to offset space constraints and bolster productivity and morale.

Maintain coding credentials. RHIA or RHIT preferred. CCS-P or CPC certification required.


Qualifications:

Masters degree in business or health administration with five (5) years of experience in a medical billing or related field; or

RHIA with seven (7) years demonstrated leadership experience in a physician practice environment. Prefer candidate who is seeking advanced degree or willing to do so during the course of employment.

Coding certification required.