Lead Medical Support Assistant

Full Job Description

The Lead Medical Support Assistant (Lead MSA) serves in VISN 23 VA Health Connect, formerly known as the Clinical Contact Center (CCC) as part of an interprofessional healthcare team working collaboratively with the other VA Health Connect pillars in resolution or direction of calls via various contact modalities.

Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).

Experience. No experience required. Education.

High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.

Licensure/Certification/Registration. None Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. English Language Proficiency.

Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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 REQUIREMENTS: Lead Medical Support Assistant - GS-7 Experience One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level, Examples of experience may include: Assignment: The Lead MSA is responsible for the coordination of Advanced MSA assignments and workflow found in an interdisciplinary unit.

The Lead MSA is responsible for daily workload assessments, assigning work, and assuring proper staffing coverage; evaluating training records; and determining training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings.

The Lead assists the unit with complex and non-standard procedures, including clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources.

Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members, to include changes in policies and procedures; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; and acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources.

Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.

Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines.

Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect (and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff). Ability to provide staff development and training.

Ability to manage staffing requirements, manage workflow priorities, and adjust the flow of work to meet team and patient needs.

This includes the ability to follow-up on pending issues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics.

Preferred Experience: Typing proficiency, call center experience, medical/scheduling experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position.

Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Major Duties:

Announcement will close once 50 applicants is reached Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties may include but not be limited to: Answering telephones through inbound call queues, VA Health Chat messages, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the VA Health Connect team, scheduling appointments, interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.

Assists with scheduling audits/errors/corrections as assigned by supervisor. Creates and maintains service line references as requested by Supervisor.

Schedules all appointment modalities on all VHA scheduling platforms in compliance VHA national scheduling guidelines, including VCV to complete scheduling, cancelling, rescheduling, and scrubbing panels as directed by Supervisor or VA Health Connect providers.

Communicates directly with VA Health Connect providers, including updates related to VCV schedules.

Provides administrative support for providers and supervisors with office systems (conference call initiation/email/chat), patient satisfaction surveys, and entry of IT tickets as needed.

Provides training and coaching to scheduling staff as directed by supervisor.

Assists staff with escalated calls and service recovery Completes reporting workload and distributes to leadership teams as directed.

Completes special projects as assigned by Supervisors or Scheduling Chiefs Screens and schedules patients for VVC clinics ensuring patients are eligible and prepared to use the required technology.

Works collaboratively with VISN programs, services, and interprofessional coordinated care team members to provide access to care and meet the needs of Veterans via various available contact modalities to include but not limited to telephone calls, secure messaging, chat, text messaging and video.

Supports staffing for VA CHAT through expanded training and experience.

Identifies calls on chat platform for administrative/scheduling resolution or escalation through chat transfer to a triage nurse as needed based on the VA CHAT SOP.

Has the advanced skillset and ability to flex between all call center queues as directed by supervisor to support staffing, calls volumes, and IT issues impacting service levels to veterans.

Provides information and resolution to veteran requests within scope, uses administrative judgement to escalate symptomatic concerns to clinicians within VA Health Connect or directs the contact to the appropriate department for resolution.

Screens incoming contacts and independently routes the contacts to the appropriate area for resolution.

Uses various software, hardware system products, and data portals to transfer and capture information electronically for the support of the daily operation of the unit.

Operates within the various contact modalities to receive and respond to incoming and outgoing contacts using computerized interfaces and telecommunications hardware and software.

Work Schedule: The VISN 23 Clinical Contact Center team has openings for various shifts 7 am - 7 pm, Monday to Friday. Some holiday shifts are required.

Shift preference will be assigned based on shift availability at the time of selection and discussed during the interview process. Telework: Not applicable, this is a remote position.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

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).

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).