Compliance Officer/CHESS Section Manager

Position Summary
 
Public Health is seeking candidates for Compliance Officer/CHESS Section Manager (Regional Health Administrator) with the experience and know-how for leading teams responsible for HIPAA/healthcare compliance and essential records functions. In addition to serving as the Compliance Officer for the department, the position manages a section responsible for the following functions – health care compliance, privacy and security of client health information including HIPAA compliance, health information management, electronic health records, risk management, public disclosure, release of health care information, records management, and department administrative policies. Reporting to the Chief Administrative Office, this leadership position works with teams across the department in advancing the department’s mission consistent with its risk appetite and values centered in Equity and Social Justice.
 
Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) is one of the largest metropolitan health departments in the country with over 1700 employees, 40 sites, and a biennial budget of $1 billion. It operates primary care, dental, and other health care-related services throughout King County. As a Federally Qualified Health Center, it bills for many of these services. PHSKC is also one of the covered components within the hybrid entity of King County government. CHESS (Compliance, Health Information Technology, EPIC Support Section) is part of the Administrative Services Division whose vision is to enable Public Health to foster health people and communities that thrive.

Note: This posting will create a list of qualified candidates that may be considered for selection of additional vacancies of the same position type over the next 6 months. 

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice
Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.
 
The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.
 
We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.
 
To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx

Work Schedule
Full-time, 40 hours per week, 1.0 FTE. The work week is typically Monday through Friday with some evening and weekend work required to meet work demand related to Public Health services that operate 24 hours a day/7 days a week. This position is Exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not overtime eligible. 

Work Location
Downtown Seattle: Chinook Building located at 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104. Travel to Public Health sites across King County may be required.
 
Some of the work associated with this position will be performed through teleworking, and will report to office location and to meetings as needed. Travel to other work locations may be necessary. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
 
Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.  To support employees during this time King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team.

• Lead the section in defining its goals, managing work products, and measuring progress. Supervise staff and support their professional development. Plan, develop, and oversee the budget for the section.
• Represent the section within Public Health and with external partners as the Compliance Officer and as an administrative leader with a focus on customer service and continuous improvement. As a member of the Administrative Services Division management team, contribute to leadership through modelling the County’s values [add link].
• Foster an environment where staff from throughout the department support HIPAA/healthcare compliance and health records management through understanding their importance for our clients in ensuring the proper safeguarding and use of their private information in addition to understanding applicable regulatory requirements.
• Lead the development and implementation of HIPAA/health care compliance policies and practices within the Public Health department. Ensure that Public Health's procedures and practices related to health care compliance, privacy and security of client health information, and human subjects research protections are compliant with relevant laws and regulations as well as department policies. 
• Support completing investigations of complaints/grievances for HIPAA violations and review recommendations such as proposed sanctions. Ensure coordination with Human Resources on personnel investigations related to HIPAA compliance stemming from employee and/or client complaints. 
• Present reports to department and County leadership on compliance and records management outlining issues and identifying improvements. Handle sensitive inquiries and compliance issues appropriately within Public Health and maintain confidentiality. 
• Oversee the team managing health information management, public disclosure, release of health care information, and department administrative policies through ensuring work follows regulatory requirements, aligns with best practices for records management, and supports the department’s mission and values.
• Oversee the team managing the department’s Epic electronic health record system including interfaces, Help Desk (Tier 2 and escalation), change management, design/build and testing for new services, documentation standards and workflow design to meet patient care, business, and reporting requirements, input to collaboration on application systemic improvements, support divisions with Tier 1 support including end user support and training, audit and report writing, contract management, and Meaningful Use.    
• Coordinate completing complex risk analyses, analyzing relevant data, and researching laws, policies, and procedures. Serve as advisor on compliance issues and post-incident responses, including technical assistance, documentation, and consultation with legal counsel. Ensure that initial and periodic risk assessments of Public Health operations and facilities are performed, and that ongoing compliance monitoring is conducted. 
• Work effectively with department managers and supervisors to provide information and guidance to ensure that they and their employees have the requisite information of regulatory requirements to carry out their responsibilities in a lawful and ethical manner. Oversee department training to help ensure compliance with Public Health policies and procedures for health information privacy and security, public disclosure, release of health care information and health information management. 
• Oversee health care compliance billing and coding analyses and auditing in coordination with Public Health's CFO, Medical Chiefs, Finance group, and divisions. Review and provide advice on audit results and corrective action plans.

Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the following (Minimum):

• Demonstrated commitment to Equity, Race and Social Justice and pursuing changes to policies and practices that address systemic racism and inequities.
• Bachelor's degree in public administration, health care administration, public health, nursing, business, or related field and three years of working experience in health care compliance implementation and management. 
• Demonstrated leadership abilities that include building effective and accountable teams, managing conflict, creative problem-solving, and making quality decisions which can impact many parts of the department. 
• Demonstrated ability to respect, communicate, and relate well to all kinds of people regardless of their status, position, or background; effective at building relationships; has situational awareness and uses tact to diffuse tense situations through personal rapport and communication skills; appreciates and celebrates differences.
• Demonstrated ability interpreting and applying local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
• Demonstrated ability managing investigations and auditing/monitoring; and developing and implementing systems for tracking, monitoring, reporting and implementation of corrective actions. 
• Experience in the field of records management such as health information management, release of records, public records, and/or electronic health record systems.
• Demonstrated ability managing the operations of a work group, including represented staff; supervising and managing day-to-day activities of staff; preparing and monitoring a program budget. 
• Demonstrated skill in written and oral communications, including policy development and interpretation; interviewing, negotiating and public speaking. 
• Demonstrated ability providing exceptional customer service by serving as an adviser to internal and external customers regarding health care compliance and an ability to collaborate with internal and external partners on programs and projects of mutual interest. 

• Demonstrated ability maintaining confidentiality of all sensitive materials and information and promoting ethical conduct and compliance across the organization and business associates with policies/procedures.

• An advanced degree in a relevant field such as MPH, MBA, or JD with health care legal practice preferred. Possess certifications in one or more of the following: Healthcare Compliance, Health Information Privacy and Security or Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA). 
• Demonstrated knowledge and ability managing Health Care Compliance functions and interpretation of applicable regulatory compliance requirements to maintain an effective Compliance Program. 
• Experience working with public disclosure issues in the public sector.

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

• NeoGov Job Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Supplemental Questions (The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Resume
• Letter of Interest—detailing your background and describing how you meet or exceed the requirements of the position.

• The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
• The selected candidate must be able to pass a thorough background investigation, but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment. 
• For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring. For tips on interviewing, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/audience/employees/learning-and-development/Interview_Tips.ashx?la=en. 
• Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
• Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
• Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
• Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
• When Public Health responds to an emergency, and in accordance with relevant CBA language and/or KC policy and procedures, we may assign duties outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department. 
• If you need a disability accommodation in the application or testing process, please call the contact number listed on the job announcement.