Clinical Documentation Specialist

Welcome to St John of God Health Care
St John of God Health Care (SJGHC) is one of the largest private providers of health care services in Australia, employing more than 16,000 employees (caregivers). We operate 26 hospitals and services comprising more than 3,300 hospital beds, including home nursing, disability services and social outreach programs.

About the new Midland Private Hospital

• A brand-new purpose-built state-of-the-art facility, currently under construction, located just 300 metres from the St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals Campus.

• A comprehensive range of medical and surgical services, with interventional cardiology being offered for the first time in the region

• The hospital will feature:

  • 96 overnight inpatient beds, including a six-bed critical care/high dependency unit.

  • 33-bed/chair short stay and day procedure unit

  • Eight operating theatres.

  • A cardiac/vascular catheter laboratory

Your role

The Clinical Documentation Specialist at St John of God Midland Private Hospital, set to open in August, plays a key role in supporting high-quality clinical documentation and patient care outcomes. This position acts as a trusted advisor to clinicians, promoting complete, accurate and timely inpatient documentation in line with best practice standards. Working collaboratively, the role serves as a vital liaison between clinicians and coding teams, fostering a shared understanding of the importance and multiple uses of medical record documentation.

The successful candidate will contribute to delivering an efficient and effective service aligned with agreed KPIs, while enhancing documentation quality to support optimal clinical decision-making and appropriate remuneration for patient care.

The Position

• Demonstrate increased revenue as a result of clinical documentation improvement activities.

• Ensure a robust clinical documentation practices, thereby legitimately reducing the impact of Health Fund audits.

• Ensure that gaps in clinical documentation are identified and addressed via training and use of appropriate documentation guides.

• Develop and implement effective education programs to optimise calibre of clinical documentation

• Evaluate education outcomes and amend to optimise standards

• Ability to positively influence directions and decisions, and change behaviours

• Present and articulate at all levels of the organisation to increase knowledge of the service and implication of health fund contracts

• Working with Craft Groups to ensure appropriate knowledge sharing and adherence to documentation and coding requirements

• Apply, implement and educate any operational changes in health fund contracts so revenue is at all times optimised

The successful candidate will possess broad clinical knowledge, including a strong understanding of the pathology and physiology of disease processes, supported by a minimum of five years’ recent experience in a hospital clinical care environment. You will demonstrate the ability to influence and drive behavioural change, alongside experience in auditing and reviewing clinical documentation to ensure accuracy, completeness and continuous improvement. A sound understanding of clinical documentation practices is essential, with knowledge of (or the ability to quickly acquire knowledge of) hospital-based clinical coding, Diagnostic Related Groups (DRGs), and their impact on inpatient funding.

The role requires proven experience in implementing change and improvement initiatives within clinical settings, supported by strong problem-solving and critical analysis skills. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are essential, with the ability to engage, influence, educate and coach clinicians, provide constructive feedback, and effectively collaborate across multidisciplinary teams. Strong written and verbal communication skills, combined with the ability to motivate clinicians and drive positive outcomes, are critical to success in this role.

Above all, people will be at the core of everything you do committing to and supporting our Mission and Values.

We can offer you

• Salary: $124,196 to $137,946 pro rata, plus 12% superannuation

• Permanent part time position working 38 hours per fortnight

• Salary packaging up to $18,550 on a range of benefits such as mortgage, rent, meal entertainment, holiday accommodation or other everyday living expenses as well as options to salary package benefits above the FBT cap on items such as:

  • Novated leasing 

  • work related expenses

  • self-education and

  • additional superannuation

• A healthy work-life balance through flexible work options, additional purchased leave and well-being programs

• Employee discount on St John of God Hospital & Medical Services and Private Health Insurance

• Employee support through our dedicated free Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Access to a range of Lifestyle, Health & Wellbeing rewards and discounts

If suitable applicants are identified advertisement may close prior to listed date and screening/interviews may commence throughout the advertising process.

At St John of God Health Care, we celebrate diversity and warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

Our commitment is to create a safe and nurturing environment for all children and vulnerable individuals in our care and proactively take steps to protect them from abuse, ensuring their safety and well-being.

Our inclusive culture fosters an environment that is respectful and secure, welcoming and accessible, and unified through our diverse community.