Job description

Advanced Medical Support Assistant

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Veterans Health Administration

Summary

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant works at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in one of the Divisions, Palo Alto, Livermore, Menlo Park or one of the CBOCs, San Jose, Capitola, Monterey, Fremont or Modesto. In addition, our two Call Centers in the Livermore Division and Monterey Clinic. The position is under Patient Administration Support Service.

This job is open to

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

Federal employees - Excepted service

Current excepted service federal employees.

The public

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

Duties

The primary purpose of the position is to provide administrative and team support in a wide variety of basic administrative functions within a Patient Aligned Care Team, Specialty Clinic, or Call Center. The incumbent is considered the team's authority on a variety of clinic processes, regulations, policies, and procedures regarding eligibility and benefits, clinic support, statistical and data collection, medical record managements and customer service. Incumbent must interpret and implement regulations accurately to reflect current operating procedures. The role is complex and requires flexibility and independent decision-making.

The AMSA will provide significant coordination and support to ensure smooth clinic flow and operations. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Monitor patient enrollment information to the designated clinics, assisting clinic providers in enrolling patients into a PCE module. Ensure accurate eligibility is reflected and enrollments are current.
• Work with the clinic providers in managing their clinic profiles, i.e., ensure appointments are made timely and accurately; maximize efficiency of available appointments and "carve out" slots; monitor "no shows"; coordinate cancellations, etc.
• Generate and review patient encounter forms and ensure that appropriate data such as health summaries, action profiles, laboratory results, etc. are available for the health care provider's use. When required, request information through Deliverex system. Provide the clinic providers with clinic schedules, encounter forms, work sheets, and other necessary paperwork, so clinicians are prepared to exam the patients. Provide additional medical information upon request of the provider, i.e., progress notes, special reports, etc. Update problem lists. Prepare release of information requests upon physician's request to obtain copies of non-VA patient information in order to elicit timely a response.
• Ensure patients are seen timely, serve as a consumer advocate responsible for efficient and humane movement of patients from the moment of their arrival to the clinic until the plan for care has been made. - - Serve as the first line of communication to the patients, family members, clinical and support staff on many varied issues. Accept phone calls and elicit administrative and clinical information from callers through utilization of interviewing skills and a sound ambulatory care knowledge base. Prioritize calls and make independent decisions through timely problem resolution. Collaborate with other team members in emergent or urgent care need through prompt identification of problem and appropriate clinic referral. Ensure timely and accurate delivery of messages to team members.
• Keep the team informed and up-to-date concerning appropriate administrative regulations. Regulations concern eligibility for care, MCCR regulations, control of medical records, appointment management, scheduling procedures for special tests and procedures. Incumbent must analyze, interpret and implement regulations accurately to reflect current operating procedures. Perform a variety of miscellaneous duties in support of the unit, i.e., take inventory and requisition supplies, re are ADP work orders for repair of equipment and Engineering work orders for general maintenance, maintain various files, forms, and publications, etc.
• Promotes and adheres to the principles and processes of Advanced Clinic Access.
• Notify the Supervisory Medical Support Assistant or other team members of clinic management problems that the incumbent is unable to resolve.
• Maintain resource information to assist TRICARE and CHAMPVA applicants or those seeking emergency services.

Location: Monterey, CA

Salary:$55,025 - $71,528 per year

Pay Scale & Grade: GS-6

Work Schedule: Varies
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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
• 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
• 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 Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel

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.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• English Language Proficiency. MSA's must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.j.

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).

Grandfathering Provision. All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, which are a part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:(1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or changed to a lower grade within the occupation.(2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.(3) If an employee who was converted to Title 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Knowledge of MSA Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as a MSA or [an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting.

Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and a range of varieties as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time work week of credit for each two-weeks of service. Grade Determination:

Advanced Medical Support Assistant, GS-06 Demonstrate Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

i. 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.
ii. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
iii. 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.
iv. 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.
v. 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.
vi. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

Preferred experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, the applicant must have one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5). This experience includes but is not limited to: working collaboratively with other members of expanded health care teams (i.e., Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), specialty care) including Community Care providers, 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, adjusting the flow and sequencing of work to meet team and patient needs; and perform administrative follow up actions. The most qualified candidate will posses scheduling experience for a community care section.

References: VA Handbook 5005/117 Part II Appendix G45 Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standards GS-0679The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06.

Physical Requirements: Light lifting and carrying, under 15 pounds; Repetitive computer use.

Education

There is no education substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

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

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

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.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vetssite 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.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $55,025.00 - $71,528.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability

Work setting:

• In-person

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Marina, CA 93933: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Experience:

• medical appointment scheduling: 1 year (Required)

Work Location: In person

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