Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Role Details

Summary The AMSA has primary responsibility and accountability for all scheduling functions that are in alignment with VHA scheduling directives, providing direction and education to the providers within the specialty section on administrative matters, and oversight of maintaining compliance with the principles of systems redesign within the specialty section. Currently the positions are with HAS. Responsibilities Major duties of the Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) include, but are not limited to: The AMSA has primary responsibility and accountability for all scheduling functions that are in alignment with VHA scheduling directives, providing direction and education to the providers within the specialty section on administrative matters, and oversight of maintaining compliance with the principles of systems redesign within the specialty section. Additionally, they are the primary contact for the Secure Messaging program within their section. They provide administrative support for the providers within their specialty section as well as the other miscellaneous responsibilities within the service. Receives telephone calls and face-to-face inquiries from patients, families and friends of patients regarding scheduling appointments or requests for changes in scheduled appointments Coordinates with the patient care team to review the clinic utilization by using various reports. Ensure that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic and make any necessary adjustments. Develop/maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary team, and management team. Collect, scans, and updates health insurance information, promote Veteran registration and utilization of My Heal the Vet (MHV) Schedule appointments; notifies his/her supervisor when clinic area access is less than desirable or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled within mandated timeframes. Daily review of active/pending Consults, Encounters, Return Clinic Orders for accuracy and disposition. Report backlogs and/or difficulties in meeting deadlines that will impact patient access. Organizes work independently and handles scheduling problems and deviations based on personal knowledge of clinic operations and policy, schedules, and provider's preferences. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 7:30am- 4:oopm, Other schedules based on facility need Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.). 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 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. Physical Requirements. VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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. Creditable Experience: Knowledge of Current MSA Practices: To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as a MSA. Quality of Experience: Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience 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 range of variety 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 a MSA 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 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service. Grade Determinations. The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Experience for GS-6 Advanced MSA: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5) which demonstrates the Knowledge, Skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. 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. MSAs at this level develop and/or maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary/coordinated care delivery model teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies (e.g., assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge; communicate with non-VA medical facilities; prepare correspondence to notify patients of normal lab results; manage a system for follow-up care such as consults, tests, etc. Other assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinates with care team as appropriate; participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage, plan, problem solve, and follow-up with patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team; setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting 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 pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure; 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 centers or those who receive care in the community. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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 due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians. The Professional Standards Board is no longer applicable to Occupational Series 0679. Subject Matter Experts will provide step/salary recommendation for appointments/conversions based on candidate's education (if applicable) and experience. Physical Requirements: Strength and Endurance: Standing Occasionally, Walking Occasionally, Sitting Frequently, Lifting not more than 10 lbs., Carrying Occasionally, Pushing Occasionally, Pulling Occasionally. Communication (Responding to Veterans, co-workers and health care workers): Talking Frequently, Hearing Frequently, Seeing Frequently, Communicating Frequently. References: VA Handbook 5005/117, Part II, Appendix G45, dated 8/1/2019.The 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. Education There is no educational substitution for the GS-6 AMSA. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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. 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.

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