Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies and all US Citizens. Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement. Area of Consideration: - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order: 1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility. 2. All other VA employees. 3. All other applicants

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DUTIES:
The MSA is able to independently manage position responsibilities with minimal supervision, as well as set priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs. The MSA functions as an expert authority for all tasks associated with patient enrollment and registration, admissions, outpatient scheduling, beneficiary travel, and identification and capture of insurance information and provides technical support to professional staff and other medical center employees, advising staff on appropriate administrative procedures to follow. The incumbent may be asked to work irregular shifts, holidays, and/or weekends, as needed.

Enrollment and Registration:

• The MSA receives and processes applicants for both inpatient and outpatient treatment including determination as to the patient's eligibility for medical benefits to include counseling patients, their families, and agency employees on entitlement to benefits, registers new patients with the VHA, entering complete and accurate data regarding income, insurance information, and patient demographics into the corporate record.
• The incumbent processes Veteran Identification Cards (VIC), as needed. He/she must use all photography equipment, hardware, and software required to complete the process of producing a VIC.
• The MSA is responsible for the full range of duties associated with decedent affairs to include determining and locating the legal next of kin of deceased patients so the physician may notify them of death and may also process all the necessary paperwork surrounding the death of a Veteran.

• The MSA performs administrative duties associated with the admission process. He/she completes all forms for admission and advises the Veteran of issues concerning safekeeping of valuables, personal funds, clothing, patient rights, and provides patients with information about advance directives, enter admissions into VHA systems accurately and timely.
• To facilitate emergent consents, the MSA must have knowledge of, and be familiar with the process, for obtaining telephonic consents.
• The MSA may perform duties associated with the discharge and transfer process ensuring all necessary data is entered into the system.

• The MSA has primary responsibility and accountability for all scheduling functions. This includes making, changing, and canceling patient appointments in accordance with clinic profiles and special instructions, as well as all applicable VHA regulations governing the scheduling process.
• The MSA is responsible for receiving and routing all Veterans who report to the facility for scheduled and unscheduled examinations and appointments, assuring that the patients are electronically checked in for their appointments.

• The MSA is responsible for explaining in detail to Veterans about upcoming appointments, ensuring they understand what they must do and where they must go to complete their work- up. When applicable, the MSA ensures the patient is scheduled for a return visit in accordance with orders from the provider.
• The MSA must be able to interpret and communicate requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities that include scheduling appointments and utilizing the Electronic Waiting List accurately and in a timely manner.
• The MSA receives telephone calls and face-to-face inquiries from patients, families and friends of patients regarding scheduling appointments or requests for changes in scheduled appointments.
• The incumbent is responsible for administrative data capture by using the most efficient method of checking in/out all patient encounter using multiple software packages.
• Duties may also include monitoring pre-appointment requirements to ensure readiness for the patient visit; managing electronic wait list to verify and validate accuracy and solve issues; performing administrative follow-up actions; evaluating patient information and clinic schedule list

• The MSA interprets VA Beneficiary Travel regulations to determine travel eligibility and entitlement. He/she estimates, computes, and verifies costs of transportation in order that funds are properly encumbered to permit subsequent reimbursement to the traveler.
• The MSA is responsible for scheduling and arranging transportation for both inpatients and outpatient by contract, station vehicle, and Disabled American Veterans (DAV) vehicles as appropriate.
• The MSA may also be responsible for fund control point (FCP) management for beneficiary travel. At a minimum, the MSA maintains the amount of cost incurred and assures that expenditures do not exceed the funding allocated for the FCP and, if necessary, makes request for additional funds.

Conditions of employment

RESUME REQUIREMENTS: Your resume must include the following information:
Job Title (for each position)
Description of duties (be as detailed as possible)
Month and year start/end dates (e.g. June 2018 to April 2020) of employment
Full-time or part-time status (include average hours worked per week)

• 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.
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.).
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.
Certification. None required.
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 all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met 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. (2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (3) If an employee who was converted to Title 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
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 REQUIREMENTS.
Creditable Experience Knowledge of MSA Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting]. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as an MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting.
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 this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service.

Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)
GS-6Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

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 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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:
i. Ability to collaborate an 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 https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6 The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-6.

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.

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:
1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2. All other VA employees.
3. All other applicants

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.