Medical Records Specialist (part-time: 20-25 hours/week)

firsthand supports individuals living with SMI (serious mental illness). Our holistic approach includes a team of peer recovery specialists, benefits specialists and clinicians, which focuses on meeting each individual where they are and walking with them side by side as a trusted guide, partner, and first call on their journey to wellness.

firsthand's team members use their lived experience to build trust with these individuals and support them in obtaining socio-economic assistance and in reconnecting to primary and behavioral care. Support like this creates substantial savings for managed care organizations (Medicaid providers) and taxpayers by decreasing inappropriate healthcare utilization. This enables us to build solutions that scale and, as a result, change the way our society supports those most impacted by SMI.

We are cultivating a team of deeply passionate problem-solvers to tackle significant and complex healthcare challenges with us. This is more than a job—it's a calling. Every day, you will engage in work that resonates with purpose, gain wisdom from motivated colleagues, and thrive in an environment that celebrates continuous learning, creativity, and fun.

The Medical Records Specialist is a key member of firsthand’s clinical documentation team. We are looking for a scrappy, entrepreneurial, and determined individual who will retrieve and secure relevant records to serve our individuals well. These records will enable the best care possible for our individuals by empowering: our care teams to plan appropriate care, our social workers to navigate benefits that individuals may be eligible for, firsthand to safeguard and protect our individuals’ right to privacy, and more. This is a part-time, contract position with a target of 20-25 hours/week (flexible but consistent hours within the regular M-F 9am-5pm work week). There is also potential for this role to become full-time within six months.

• Monitor engagement status of individuals served by firsthand and send appropriate requests for healthcare information to relevant facilities/providers
• Retrieve medical records digitally and in a timely manner to support pre-visit preparation and safe care planning
• Prioritize outstanding requests based on need
• Track all request progress in real-time to enable metrics reporting and efficiency
• Upload records to firsthand EHR and archive copies of records thereafter

• 3+ years of experience in a release of healthcare information/medical records role in a hospital or clinic setting
• Strong multi-tasking skills, consistent attention to detail, and familiarity with word processing systems and spreadsheets
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, especially to maintain working relationships with firsthand APNs, NPs, Clinical Documentation Integrity Specialist, and other team members
• Alignment to firsthand’s mission, vision and values: Demonstrate respect, dignity, empathy, and professional conduct to both individuals that firsthand serves and firsthand team members

• At least a High school diploma or General Education Development (GED) (not necessary, but nice-to-have: an Associate's degree or higher in health information management)
• Demonstrated persistence with PCPs, specialists, and hospitals to fax over and retrieve relevant medical histories
• Ability to work independently and in a fast-paced startup environment, while meeting productivity expectations
• Demonstrated ability to gain proficiency in EHR and e-faxing systems
• Understanding of HIPAA and ability to recognize when specific Release of Information forms are required to protect individual information and ensure record retrieval success

Benefits 

For full-time employees, our compensation package includes base, equity (or special incentive program for clinical roles) and a bonus potential. Our benefits include physical and mental health, dental, vision, 401(k) with a match, 16 weeks parental leave for either parent, flexible vacation, and a supportive and inclusive culture.

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer sponsorship at this time.

Vaccination Policy

Employment with firsthand is contingent upon attesting to medical clearance requirements, which include, but may not be limited to: evidence of vaccination for/immunity to COVID-19, Hepatitis B, Influenza, MMR, Chickenpox, Tetanus and Diphtheria. All employees of firsthand are required to receive these vaccinations on a cadence/frequency as advised by the CDC, whereas not otherwise prohibited by state law.

New hires may submit for consideration a request to be exempted from these requirements (based on a valid religious or medical reason) via forms provided by firsthand. Such requests will be subject to review and approval by the Company, and exemptions will be granted only if the Company can provide a reasonable accommodation in relation to the requested exemption. Note that approvals for reasonable accommodations are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis and availability of a reasonable accommodation is not guaranteed.