Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This position is open to current Veteran Health Administration employees.

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The AMSA is responsible for routing clinical questions to appropriate clinical staff. The AMSA plays an integral role in achieving first-contact resolution through Veteran-centered delivery of care. The AMSA provides information on programs and initiatives available to Veterans and provides administrative referrals of services as needed. The AMSA collaborates to best coordinate the care needs of the Veteran.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Responsible for answering telephones.
• Secure messages and chat messages.
• Greeting patients.
• Relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the Call Center.
• Scheduling appointments, interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.
• 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 interprofessional coordinated care delivery model.
• AMSAs at this level develop and/or maintain effective andefficient communication with the patient, interprofessional care delivery teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies; communicate with non-VA medical facilities.
• Other 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;
• Gathering and obtaining medical information from patients.
• Processing medication refill requests.
• Reviewing electronic health record.
• Obtaining medical records.
• Faxing
• Participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or Call Center staff to determine the daily needs of the Call Center.
• Monitoring outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility.
• Verifying and updating demographics when contacted by patients.
• 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 interprofessional team members about shared patients (i.e.)., those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or those who receive care in the community.
• For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
• Provides information and resolution to Veterans' requests within scope.
• uses administrative judgement to escalate symptomatic concerns to clinicians within the Call Center or directs the contact to the appropriate discipline within the Call Center or department for resolution.
• Screens incoming contacts and independently routes the contacts to the appropriate area for resolution.
• Uses advanced knowledge of health care process as it relates to access of care to ensure Veteran appointment scheduling is efficient, operational and prioritized to maintain Veteran flow and clinic readiness.
• Utilizes various software, hardware system products, and data portals to transfer and capture information electronically for the support of the daily operation of the unit.
• Operates within the various contact modalities to receive and respond to incoming and outgoing contacts using computerized interfaces and telecommunications hardware and software.
• Provides accurate details of organizational information to Veterans regarding the different services the VA offers.
• Provides high-quality customer service to Veterans and their families/caregivers.
• Communicates tactfully and effectively to challenging customers who may be threatening, abusive, or distraught.
• Resolves Veteran complaints as appropriate.
• Performs duties as assigned to ensure efficient and effective operations

Other related duties may be assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm PST
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 662-09517F
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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Advanced Medical Support Assistant, GS-6

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

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs 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 organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, an 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: Position requires visual acuity, adequate auditory perception, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. Position requires potentially extended periods of sitting. The position requires some bending and carrying of items. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations and able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must meet Employee Health mandates as a condition of employment.

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.