Clarification from the agency

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The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) provide specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (e.g., PACT). AMSAs at this level develop and/or maintain effective and efficient communication with the patients, interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model team, VA medical centers, and other agencies. Duties include, but are not limited to:

- Coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability.
- Schedules new and established patient appointments.
- Tracks and facilitates completion of encounters and consults.
- Participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care.
- Sets priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs.
- Works with the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions and entering appropriate information into the electronic record.
- Monitoring pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g., X-ray, lab work).
- Manages electronic wait list to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues.
- Participates and provides input in problem solving on operational issues or procedures in team meetings.
- Performs administrative follow up actions.
- Participates in and independently following up on team huddles by sharing information and collaborating with the medical team to assure continuity of care.
- Evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether patient is vested.
- Gathers information and collects/compiles data to meet the needs of the service.
- Educates providers about shared patients (those who receive their care at multiple VAs or those who have care in the community) and brings to the attention of the providers.

Work Schedules: Monday through Friday, 1st Shift; 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM or 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Work schedule will be discussed at interview.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Title/Functional Statement #:Advanced Medical Support Assistant/PD000000
Recruitment Incentives: Authorized to highly qualified candidates
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: The following are the basic requirements and amounts of experience and/or education required to qualify for this position. Creditable experience is defined as, experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) associated with current Medical Support Assistant responsibilities. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as a Medical Support Assistant.

CITIZENSHIP: Must be a United States Citizen.

ENGLISH: Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE: Must possess six (6) months experience of clerical, office, customer service or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties of the Medical Support Assistant.
OR
Must have successfully completed one (1) year above high school. This education must have been obtained in an accredited technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)
OR
Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying for entry level. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE, YOU MUST MEET THE GRADE REQUIREMENTS AT THE GS-6 LEVEL TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION.

GS-6 LEVEL GRADE REQUIREMENTS:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Must have at least one (1) full year of experience that is directly related to the duties of a MSA and that equips you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. To be creditable, this experience must be equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-5, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current MSA responsibilities. Experience at this level includes but is not limited to: Advising clinical staff on current administrative processes. Answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. 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, monitoring 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.).
AND
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: In addition, applicants must demonstrate the following KSAs:
KSA-1. Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met.
KSA-2. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
KSA-3. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels, as well as resolving patient concerns.
KSA-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.
KSA-5. Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect the patient flow, and patient support care to include, but not limited to appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, provider availability, etc.
KSA-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 Standards, dated August 1, 2019.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Physical demands do not exceed those of a typical office setting. There may be some walking, standing twisting, turning, sitting, pushing, bending, repetitive keyboarding, or carrying of light items. Some positions may require sitting for long periods of time at a computer terminal typing data while talking on a telephone headset.

Work Environment: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts, which require normal safety precautions. The work requires safe work practices with office equipment, avoidance of trips and falls and observance of fire regulations. The work area is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated. The employee works in a close proximity to patients, and is therefore, exposed to communicable diseases. Some exposure to verbal abuse may be experienced in certain positions.

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.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.