Clarification from the agency

Open to Current Permanent Department of Veterans Affairs Employees Only. First consideration will be given to current permanent Southern Arizona VA HCS employees.

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The Advanced MSA works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary team environment and performs receptionist duties, customer service and other duties assigned for the proper and timely treatment of patients and maintains appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinic. He/she must assist 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. A caring, compassionate and sensitive manner is essential when explaining procedures to Veterans and their family members both in person and on the phone. The MSA can independently 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. The MSA participates in the daily teamlet huddles and weekly team meetings where patient care planning and management occur.

Incumbent is responsible for assuring that various aspects of staffing, training, compliance, reporting, quality assurance, and budgetary initiatives are met. These activities directly affect the revenue cycle, patient access to care, hospital performance goals and objectives, as well as VHA public image. The incumbent plays an integral role in identifying and developing ways to resolve problems with the administrative and clinical staff on access, customer service, patient flow, revenue, and data validation issues. His/her work also impacts processes, action plans, monitoring and reporting. 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.

Major duties include but are not limited to the following:
- Performs receptionist duties, customer service, oversees clerical activities at the front desk and other duties assigned for the proper and timely treatment of patients and maintains appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinics.
- 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.
- Screens/receives 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.
- Explains procedures to veterans and their family members both in person and on the phones.
- Independently manages position responsibilities with little supervision as well as set priorities and deadlines adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet the team and patient needs.
- Generates patient workload reports for validation and monitors activity in clinical areas to assure consistent and accurate reporting.
- Intervenes to resolve difficult problems and diffuses potential dissatisfaction with VA services.- Serves as technical advisor and liaison with contacts at all levels.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am -4:00pm or 8:00am -4:30p
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

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: 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:
• (1) Experience: Six months experience of clerical, office or other work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; or
• (2) Education: One year above high school; or
• (3) Experience/Education combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
• Certification: None
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English.

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 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.
Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience (or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting) 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 a range of varieties as described in the standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Grade Determinations: GS-6 Advanced Medical Support Assistant.
(a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. Experience at the GS-5 level includes: Answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff in charge; scheduling, canceling, and re-scheduling patient's appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines; entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources; monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information. Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals; and determining appointment type based on the patient's eligibility or status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, research patient, VA employee, etc.)

(b) Assignment. The Advanced MSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery mode. 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 eligibility utilization to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics and makes adjustment as necessary.
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); 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.

(c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the knowledge, skills and abilities below:
(1) 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.
(2) Ability to independently set priorities and organizes work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
(3) 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.
(4) 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.
(5) 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.
(6) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

References: VA Handbook 5005/117 Part II Appendix G45, Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standard, GS-0679.

This is the full performance level of this vacancy - GS-06.

Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary and is performed in various outpatient clinic or office settings responsible for treating patients with a wide variety of medical problems. The work requires moderate lifting, carrying, pushing, standing; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; ability to read without strain; ability to hear the whispered voice with or without hearing aid; emotional & mental stability. The performance of daily rounds to the assigned clinic areas is required. This may include frequent visits to off-site clinics to fill-in for or interact with the Clinical Support Section employees and clinical/administrative staff in these areas. Incumbent may be required to work staggered shifts and/or weekend clinics in support of Advanced Clinic Access initiatives.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.


Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.