Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Full Job Description

The incumbent serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) in the Health Administration Service at the Hershel "Woody" Williams VA Medical Center, Huntington, West Virginia.

The incumbent provides support work relating to the care and treatment given to patients in outpatient clinics (including clinic cancellations and float AMSAs).

The work includes functions such as serving as an initial point of contact for the clinics and patient call centers.

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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: Experience.

6 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, Education.

One year above high school; OR, Experience/Education Combination.

Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable Certification: None required.

Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S.

must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S.

programs. Grade Determinations: Advanced Medical Support Assistant GS-6 Grade Level: Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the [GS-5] grade level.

Experience is defined as experience that includes, but is not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient's appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring the electronic wait list; preparing for clinic visits; monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility; ensuring encounter forms are completed in order to obtain appropriate workload credit; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information; processing all emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals; performing basic eligibility, co-pays and pre-authorization requirements for specific coverage (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, etc.).

Candidates must also be able to demonstrate the following Knowledge, skills, and abilities for the GS-0679-6 level to qualify for this position: 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 and abbreviations Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-06. Physical Requirements: VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Work is partially sedentary, with frequent walking, standing, bending. carrying of light items such as papers and books, or small parts. Some slight physical effort may be required.

Incumbent may be susceptible to eyestrain from working long hours on the computer. Major Duties:

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include, but are not limited to: provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.

provides specialized administrative judgment and flexibility in the use of a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics and specialties including clinic cancellations.

recommends changes to existing procedures based on current administrative guidelines.

has expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.

coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability/utilization to ensure the clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics (and adjust, as needed).

develops and/or maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary coordinated care models, VA medical centers, and other agencies (e.g., assists with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge.

communicate with non-VA medical facilities. manages a system for follow-up care such as consults, tests, etc.

participates in team huddles and team meetings (staff meetings) to manage, plan, problem solve, and follow-up with patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team and with the HAS supervisory team.

sets priorities and deadlines, as needed. adjusts the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs. identifies incomplete encounters and communicates findings to providers, as needed.

assists the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions.

enters appropriate information into the electronic record monitors and updates pre-appointment information (demographics, including insurance capture) and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure, as needed manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues.

evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment.

informs team members about shared patients (i.e., those who receive their care at multiple VA medical centers or those who receive care in the community).

comply with local HAS-MCMs and SOPs that pertain to their work area. works staggered shifts and/or weekends, as required and assigned (mostly pertains extended hour clinic AMSAs).

AMSAs rotate throughout the clinics, to include phone unit, consult team and clinic cancellations, as needed, in a fair and equitable rotation. processes commitments, as needed.

processes patient funds, as needed. conduct patient surveys, as requested. processes MSA portion of travel consult, as needed. contacts Travel office with patient date of travel, as needed.

completion of all required training within set time frames.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 0830am - 5:00pm 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 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 prior [work experience] or 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 #: 22050-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized