Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

The purpose of this position is to serve as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) above the full performance level position assigned to Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service (PMRS) clinics. The AMSA provides expert administrative support tailored to patients, working within an interdisciplinary coordinated care framework.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional This position demands a high level of administrative judgment and adaptability in navigating various clinical flow processes necessary for accessing care across multiple clinics, specialties, and community resources. The AMSA is responsible for proposing updates to existing clinic procedures to ensure alignment with current administrative guidelines. Mastery of numerous advanced patient systems is crucial to effectively support the different clinics in this coordinated care approach.

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Schedules appointment with patient input to reduce no shows. This is a critical step to meet "Missed Opportunities" and other medical center performance measures such as "access to care". Continually works with the providers and nursing staff to change appointments when clinically indicated, carefully following medical center, and VHA directives regarding this process. incumbent is responsible for verifying and completing all orders that he/she transcribes.

Incumbent has the ability to overbook patients within set guidelines and refers others to the appropriate person to authorize additional overbooks to the clinic. Incumbent is responsible for processing first party requests and ensuring forms are complete and accurate. Receives outside correspondence (fax, letters, etc.) from outside agencies requesting provider's actions for patient care and forwards to the appropriate agency for action.

Responsible for ensuring non-VA records are forwarded to the appropriate provider for review and forward to the appropriate agency prior to inclusion into the patient's medical record. Scans and indexes materials accordingly into CPRS VistA Imaging, on a timely basis and within established guidelines, and makes the proper disposition of documents. After the scanning and indexing process is complete, the incumbent will review the quality of scanned documents to ensure integrity of scanned images.

Captures insurance and demographic information on all Veterans, explaining VA's role in insurance reimbursement. Accurately enters insurance information into the buffer and scans both sides of the insurance card. Counsels Veterans on coverage and need for information to ensure maximum reimbursement for VA. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:30am-4:00pm or 8:00am-4:30pm based on the needs of the service; occasional weekend as needed.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (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 #: 53752-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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. 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 Determinations: GS-06 Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-05). Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) 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.

(b) 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. (c) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

(d) 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. (e) Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.

(f) 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. Assignment: For all assignments above the FPL, the higher-level duties must be of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, 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.

At the advanced level, the Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) (AMSA) performs difficult and responsible 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.

Recommend 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).

Preferred Experience: At least 3-5 years as an AMSA or previous LEAD Proficient in systems CPRS, Vista, VSE, ISS, JLV, Virtual Scheduling Manager, ICB, Microsoft Office, VetLink, Secure Messaging. Must be able to schedule (consults, RTCs) in accordance with VHA Directions 1230, 1231, and 1232, SOPs, Business Rules, and guidance and run various reports (EARR, pending consults/RTCs) Timekeeper 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-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06. 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.