Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)-Enrollment and Eligibility

Full Job Description

The incumbent serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) at the Enrollment and Eligibility department of Health Administration Service at the El Paso Veterans Affairs Health Care System in El Paso, Texas.

The position is highly technical in nature as it is the primary gateway for all Veterans seeking care or other benefits across the VA Health Care System (VAHCS).

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: 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 Education: high school diploma with desire for some post high school education or equivalent experience; 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. 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 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).

Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

Assignment: The Advanced MSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working] collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model .

Work involves specialized administrative judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or care in the community resources.

Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines.

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 that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics, and makes adjustments as necessary.

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: Customer Service with experience in de-escalation, problem solving, decision making and good tactful communication skills orally and in writing.

Knowledge of health care facilities, assist patients during registration and enrollment process, to gather and complete military service paperwork.

Advanced Knowledge of Medical Terminology including documenting/reading administrative notes in medical charts.

Scheduling/rescheduling in a clinical setting including experience reading and verifying provider's orders, consults, imaging requests and laboratory orders Experienced in administrative healthcare setting responsible for managing the frontend patient Enrollment & Eligibility process.

Experienced in administrative healthcare setting responsible for managing the frontend patient Enrollment & Eligibility process.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS06.

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS06 Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary.

Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work.

Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site.

Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. Major Duties:

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties: Interviewing and determining healthcare eligibility for patients applying for medical benefits.

Scheduling/coordinating appointments using advanced clinic access principles, collecting, and updating demographic and insurance information, patient processing, and customer service.

Responsible for assuring that various aspects of staffing, training, compliance, reporting, quality assurance, and budgetary initiatives are met.

Identifying and developing ways to resolve problems with the administrative and/or clinical staff on access, customer service, patient flow, revenue, and data validation issues.

Serves as technical expert providing enrollment and eligibility guidance to service and facility leadership.

Assists with clinic access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, location, or dates as well as shift patients to other healthcare providers as conflict with staffing and/or coverage occurs.

Incumbent must screen/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determine the nature of requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes.

Manage position responsibilities with little supervision as well as set priorities and deadlines adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs.

Coordinates administrative services for veterans, family members, caregivers, and public, administrative, and clinical staff to ensure continuity of inpatient and outpatient care.

Organizes and implements quality assurance monitors; prepares a wide variety of administrative reports and documents for supervisor and Health Administration Service.

Incumbent must completely understand and be able to explain complex regulations and eligibility criteria concerning veterans' entitlements and VA benefits, priorities for care, access to care and advanced clinic access.

Act as a receptionist, either face-to-face or telephonically, requiring excellent customer service skills.

The work requires a high degree of judgment in responding to both employee and patient concerns and providing solutions to process problems as they affect day-to-day operations.

Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 08:00 am- 04:45 pm 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) 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: Ad hoc.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.