Advanced Medical Support Assistant

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Summary

This is an internal job announcement. Current permanent Aleda E. Lutz employees, current permanent VA employees from another facility, and current permanent employees from another Federal Agency MUST apply under this announcement. All other applicants please apply to the external announcement via announcement number CBSR-11003976-21-CR.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Advanced Level Medical Support Assistant (MSA) position serves as a Clinic Clerk and is a foundational role within the VHA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) initiative. Patient care is delivered in a team based model known as the teamlet. Members of the teamlet include the MSA, a Registered Nurse Care Manager, a Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurse and a Primary Care Provider. The teamlet provides the majority of the healthcare needs for an assigned panel of patients. The teamlet work collaboratively with other members of an expanded health care Primary Care Team including pharmacists, social workers, dieticians, behavioral health staff, etc. to provide a robust interdisciplinary approach to care. Important interfaces and collaborations also occur with larger health care system providers including VA and non VA specialists, hospitals, diagnostic and treating facilities, and community based programs. The Advanced Level MSA position can also serve as a Clinic Clerk for a Specialty Clinic area to include Compensation and Pension (C&P) and will be assigned more specific duties to that Specialty or C&P Clinic area. Duties of this position include but not limited to:

• Works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (i.e. PACT, Specialty Clinic, C&P) and performs receptionist duties, customer service and other duties assigned for the proper and timely treatment of patients and maintains appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinics.

• Must assist with clinic access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, location, or date as well as shift patients to other healthcare providers as conflict with staffing and/or coverage occurs.

• Screen/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determine the nature of requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes.

• Ensure that all necessary health/administrative information are integrated into Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) by sending the documents to scanning or performing the function within their area.

Work schedule: 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM or 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (Monday through Friday)

Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available

Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement Title: Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

None

• Job family (Series)

0679 Medical Support Assistance

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job

• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required

• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

• You may be required to serve a probationary period

• Subject to a background/security investigation

• Must be proficient in written and spoken English

• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/01/2021.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

• Experience and Education:

• (1) Experience. Six months experience of clerical, office, [customer service], or other [administrative] work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; OR

• (2) Education. One year above high school; OR

• (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

• English Language Proficiency: MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.

Grade Determinations:

In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met.

Grade Requirements:

GS-06

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes; responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources; participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic, monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for appointments. Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals, and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.).

Additionally, you will be rated on the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Please make sure that each is addressed in your application package.

1.Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines (e.g. medical doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, clinical pharmacists, and nursing staff) to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met.

2.Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.

3.Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing, with internal and external customers. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels, as well as resolving patient concerns.

4.Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process (including, but not limited to, scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community models and patient health care portals) as it relates to access to care.

5.Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect patient flow, and patient support care administrative functions to include, but not limited to appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, provider availability, etc.

6.Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G45, Medical Support Assistant Job Qualification Standard.

Physical Requirements:The work is primarily sedentary. The employee sits comfortable to do the work. However, there may be some walking, standing, or carrying of light items such as manuals or files. The work does not require special physical demands.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

PLEASE NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.