Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Summary

These positions are located within the Office of Community Care at the Hampton VAMC, Hampton Virginia. The incumbent performs work that impacts the timely administrative aspect of patient care including administrative coordination of patient care and appointments and logistical factors associated with direct patient care, inpatient & outpatient, related to the coordination of care between Hampton VA Medical Center and outside facilities. They include non-call center & call center positions.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

05/09/2024 to 05/20/2024

• Salary

$53,449 - $69,486 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 6

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Location

• Hampton, VA

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

No

• Travel Required

Not required

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent

• Work schedule

Full-time

• Service

Excepted

• Promotion potential

None

• Job family (Series)

0679 Medical Support Assistance

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Other

• Drug test

No

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CBTA-12411239-24-STE

• Control number

790411900

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This job is open to

• The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

NOTE: 1st Area of Consideration will be Hampton VAMC facility & CBOC employees. 2nd Area of Consideration will be Department of Veterans Affairs employees. 3rd Area of Consideration will be all other applicants.

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Duties

Medical Support Assistant: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-MSA-VA-Career-Flyer.pdf

Hampton VA Medical Center, a 468-bed facility, serves a 15-county area in eastern Virginia and a 10-county area in northeastern North Carolina. This area, commonly referred to as the Tidewater Area, has a veteran population of more than 220,000 veterans. A teaching hospital providing a full range of patient care services, Hampton VAMC features state-of-the-art technology as well as education and research.

The AMSA works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model within the Office of Community Care. Duties include but are not limited to (non-call center and call center duties reflected below):

• Assist Veterans by explaining community programs, coordinating their care in the community through various avenues and provide customer service to be the patient's liaison between the VA Medical Center and the community provider.

• Receive, review and process requests for non-VA care from healthcare providers, ensuring compliance with local purchased care policy, duplication, VHA national scheduling guidelines and other identified expectations.

• Use judgment to interpret guidelines, adapt procedures, decide approaches and resolve specific problems. The work involves the execution of specific rules, regulations, or procedures and typically comprises a complete segment of an assignment or project of broader scope. The work product or service affects the accuracy, reliability, or acceptability of further processes or services.

• Perform a variety of administrative functions associated with patient care and treatment for Community Care services which includes inpatient, outpatient, and/or GEC program services. The incumbent must acquire knowledge of internal organizational procedures, knowledge of various facility services, multiple computer software systems, VA acronyms and abbreviations.

• Create and issue authorizations for approved care, assist with vendor location when needed, and resolves barrier to obtain Community Care to avoid patient care delay.

• Coordinate with Community Care team(s) to review consult utilization by using various reports and communication methods to effectively support the needs of the team.

• Ensure timely clinical response to patients that potentially have an emergent or urgent care need and to serve as liaison between patients and the Office of Community Care staff and management.

• Obtain medical information from patients, transcribes this information accurately in the appropriate system, and communicates effectively and timely to community partners and within the service to clinicians and nurses within the Office of Community Care.

• Schedule, cancel, or reschedule appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling and VA MISSION Act guidelines. Verify and update demographics and insurance information.

• Retrieve and respond to data generated from Audio Care system.

• Answer phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determine the nature of requests and utilize the information to meet patient needs and comply with privacy rules and OCC processes.

• Conduct outbound phone calls in response to Veterans' requests to reschedule cancelled appointments or continuation of services as necessary.

Work Schedule: 8am-4:30pm

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized.

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases

When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)

Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on military service experience.

Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Telework: Not Available.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

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

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

• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.

• You may be required to serve a probationary period.

• Subject to background/security investigation.

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

• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP)

• See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

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

• Equivalent combination of experience and education.

• 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.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations: For Advanced Medical Support Assistant, GS-6: One year of experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-5. In addition to the Basic Requirements defined above, the incumbent must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• 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.

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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

References: For additional information, please refer to VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G45 Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standards, GS-0679, dated August 1, 2019. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6.

Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary; however, some walking, standing, and carrying light items are required. Light filing, sometimes involving working close to the floor, is involved. Wrist and back protection can be provided to minimize the risks associated with prolonged use of automated data processing equipment.

Education

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

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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• Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window

Learn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.