Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Major duties and responsibilities of the position:

- Provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting.
- Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. Responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting, and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling
guidelines.
- Utilizes specialized administrative judgment and flexibility in the 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.
- Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources; participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic; interviewing patients for appointments; referring patients to other medical specialty clinics; providing information to patients necessary to resolve complaints; interacting with both internal and external customers; reviewing and documenting medical outpatient and inpatient electronic health records, as well as administrative records; verifying third party insurance and updating information in the Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) system; obtaining medical information from patients; coordinating information and actions related to patient care and services; and scheduling appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Monitors both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patient's check-in for appointments.
- Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, [collaterals, research patient, VA employee], etc.).
- 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 adjusts as necessary.
- Develops 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.).
- Processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthVet 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).
- Manage Consults, Recall Reminders and Return to Clinic orders for assigned teamlet/team.
- Other duties as assigned.


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: 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.

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-6, Medical Support Assistant (Advanced):

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the [GS-5] grade level

and

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit .

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-05. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06.
This position is above the full performance level.

Physical Requirements: Physical Demands: The work is administrative which requires standing, walking, sitting, stooping, bending, lifting light objects, answering telephone and data entry in the current scheduling software package (GUI/ISS/VISTA, etc).

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

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 an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit at .