Clarification from the agency

This is a PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT and is open to all US Citizens.

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Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary care delivery model and performs customer service and administrative duties for the proper and timely treatment of patients.
• Demonstrates substantial skill in planning, organizing, problem solving, and decision-making.
• Maintains appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinics, while demonstrating a high level of oral and written communication skills.
• Planning, organizing, problem solving, and decision-making.
• Provides administrative support to our clinical colleagues in the care of our Nation's Veterans.
• Utilizes a variety of patient data systems and is responsible for performing scheduling functions including appointment scheduling/rescheduling, cancellations and no-shows, providing reception to incoming and outgoing customers and communication, appointment check in/out, verification of provider orders, recall reminders, manual and electronic data entry, and reviewing and updating patient demographics and insurance verification.
• Receives phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determines the nature of requests and provides the information desired using privacy rules and established processes.
• Ensures patients are appropriately scheduled from clinic request queues (RTCs), and consults are scheduled appropriately and timely.
• Monitors and conducts reviews of active/pending consults, appointment requests from multiple electronic sources, and secure messaging for accuracy and disposition.
• Required to rotate among the specialty care or primary care clinic areas as needed, work irregular tours, and must have the knowledge to assume a leading role during special projects or heavy workload, for leave, vacancies, or when other MSAs are detailed to fill in other areas.
• Serves as a telehealth facilitator as needed, which includes coordinating and scheduling telehealth appointments with the provider, patient, equipment, and specific location, entering telehealth appointments and mailing outpatient appointment letters, reserving equipment, and reserving rooms at provider and patient locations.
• Responsible for maintaining adequate supplies and forms utilized in the processing of patients during their procedure/clinic visit/admission.
• Organizes and implements quality assurance monitors; prepares a wide variety of administrative reports and documents for the supervisor.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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.
• 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:

a. 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.).

b. Experience and Education.

1. 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,
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.
c. Certification. None required.
d. Grandfathering Provision. 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).
e. 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 credits and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.
f. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.g.

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.

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 (KSAs): 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.

Preferred Experience: Scheduling Capabilities, Knowledge of clinic workflow is beneficial

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/117 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

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, resume, 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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

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.