Clarification from the agency

This position is open only to current employees of the Amarillo VA Healthcare System. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The Incumbent will also serve as an MSA in a VHA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) or Specialty Care Support Team as needed for appropriate coverage. Important interfaces and collaborations also occur with larger health care system providers including VA and non-VA specialists, hospitals, diagnostic and treating facilities, and community based programs. The incumbent will act in the capacity of liaison/expeditor between patients and clinical staff as well as specialty and ancillary services.

In PACT and Specialty Care Support, patient care can be delivered in a team model known as the teamlet. Members of the teamlet include the MSA, a Registered Nurse Care Manager, a Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurse and a Primary Care Provider or Specialty Care Provider. The teamlet provides the majority of the healthcare needs for an assigned panel of patients and works collaboratively with other members of an expanded health care primary care team including pharmacists, social workers, dieticians, behavioral health staff, etc., to provide a robust interdisciplinary approach to care.

VA Careers - Lead Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/UJO_XH5uCLs


Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Functions:
The Lead MSA distributes and monitors work assignments, provides input on performance, resolves daily workplace issues and maintains efficient workflow. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: assuring coverage of all areas of responsibility. conducting ongoing reviews to ensure quality of work; ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members to include changes in policies and procedures; distributing and balancing workload; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; orienting and providing on the job training for new and current employees; ensuring all training requirements are met; organizing the work structure of his/her assigned areas; and acting as liaison between MSA and clinical staff in order to resolve day to day conflicts. For all assignments about the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in the standard at the specified grade level and performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

The incumbent works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model in PACT or Specialty Care setting where the patient aligned care team model is used. The incumbent is able to 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.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 07:30am - 04:00pm
Telework: Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 55701-F

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 identification 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

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• *Experience. No experience required.
• *Education. High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• Licensure/Certification/Registration. None
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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).

Grade Determinations:

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate [all of] the KSAs below:
  • Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources.
  • Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.
  • Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines.
  • Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff.
  • Ability to provide staff development and training.
  • Ability to manage staffing requirements, manage workflow priorities, and adjust the flow of work to meet team and patient needs. This includes the ability to follow-up on pending issues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics.

Preferred Experience:

• 2 years experience working in a clinical environment coordinating clinic schedules for providers (e.g. medical doctors nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists/psychiatrists).
• 2 years experience scheduling patients in a medical appointment software in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• 2 years experience with medical terminology in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• 2 years experience managing patient communications in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. (e.g. telephone and/or e-mail).
• 18 months experience in manage priorities, and coordinate duties with limited Supervisory oversight and the ability to train staff in accordance with directives.

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-07.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement 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.