Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) -Medical Foster Home Program

Full Job Description

Incumbent serves as the Medical Support Assistant (MSA) for the Medical Foster Home (MFH) Program for the Hershel "Woody" Williams VAMC servicing the Huntington, Charleston, and Prestonsburg MFH programs.

This position is located at a VA facility as a part of Social Work Service and serves as the facility point of contact for the MFH program.

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.

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.

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 all of 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 The MSA position is vital to the overall operation of the program, assisting the MFH Coordinator in all facets of the program and oversees the local program office in the absence of the MFH Coordinator.

Responsibilities include but not limited to: Clerical functions including, but not limited to: answering telephone inquiries, contacting the MFH Coordinator in the field when appropriate, maintaining files and record keeping systems, assisting with preparation of reports, marketing materials, and facilitating communication with the VA interdisciplinary home care team.

The Medical Support Assistant accepts telephone calls from patients/caregivers, MFH staff in the field, other VA staff, and/or community agency staff, regarding program inquiries, patient care concerns, etc.

The incumbent obtains as much information as possible, provides information, and resolves problems independently when possible.

prioritizes, and makes decisions regarding caller referral based on specific caller needs.

The intake of a resident and MFH caregiver referrals to include gathering preliminary applicant information, answering applicant questions, and referring applicants to the MFH Coordinator.

Ensures timely clinical response to patients/callers that potentially have an emergent or urgent care need through prompt identification of the problem and appropriate clinical referral.

Assisting in coordinating placement of Veterans. Retrieving patient information from VHA electronic records and relevant non-VA medical records.

Setting up and maintaining an administrative file for each MFH to include: MFH caregiver's application, Initial evaluation by MFH Coordinator, Inspection Reports, All correspondence related to the MFH, and All material relating to any hearing and decision.

Collecting and maintaining electronic data for each resident and each MFH, which is used for program monitoring and evaluation.

Scheduling annual inspections to ensure CRC standards are met by MFHs, including securing necessary forms from MFH caregivers. Scheduling bi-annual caregiver trainings for all MFH programs.

Tracking subject matter of training provided to MFH caregivers to facilitate curricula development of future trainings.

Interacts with customers, family members, visitors and co-workers in a courteous, tactful, helpful manner, exercising mature judgment and diplomacy.

Provides and assists with outreach and marketing activities for the MFH programs.

The incumbent uses computer programs to type all recurring correspondence, minutes, reports, maintaining computer files easily accessible by other team members.

Compiles data at the end of the month for MFH Coordinators' review. Ensures reports are approved through the facility management and entered timely on-line.

Problem solves office equipment malfunctions, obtaining IRM, Engineering, copier/fax technician, or Facilities Management support as indicated.

Will assist with other Social Work Service, Medical Support Assistant duties, as indicated. The MSA will act as timekeeper to Social Work Service as necessary.

Serves as a scheduler for all types of scheduling (traditional, CVT, WC) for the MFH program staff, support staff and as needed for the Social Work Service.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 23056F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized