Clarification from the agency

This posting is open to all US citizens. Current permanent Federal government employees (which includes current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees) must apply to CAZM-11744560-23-NDB

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Receives, relays and/or answers incoming and outgoing telephone and electronic messages. Answers questions such as those dealing with the patient's eligibility for services, availability of appointments, procedures for obtaining an appointment, requests for appointments and/or appointment changes. Schedules, cancels, reschedules follow-up and/or consult appointments. Performs basic eligibility and copays determinations and preauthorization actions. Processes emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals. Possess the knowledge and understanding of the guidelines associated with the Electronic Wait List. Monitors, request, scan and updates patient insurance information via insurance buffer software (ICB-NTX-live) and or the Preregistration program. Verifies, updates, and confirms current demographic information from Kiosk in VetLink, and use of Veteran Scheduling Enhancement (VSE) and/or Veterans Health Information and Technology Architecture (Vista) software packages- preregistration menu when patient's check-in for their scheduled or unscheduled appointment. Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) performs pre-registration via telephone during pre-appointment and pre-registration calls by proper identification of patients by requesting identifiers such as date of both, next of kin and full social security number. Provides patient with travel voucher during or after appointment time. Resolves informal complaints and responds to request for non-technical information on such subjects as status of reports/laboratory work, suspense dates, hours of operation, how to complete various medical forms, etc. Ensure encounters are properly addressed and closed within their scope in order to obtain appropriate workload credit. Reviews VSE open request, appointments or consults, for closure. Completes clinic closeout- no actions taken and incomplete check-ins during daily reviews. Monitors and schedules appointments from clinical consult request within the guidelines of VHA Scheduling Directive. Monitors the Medical School's provider schedule and confirms clinic coverage.

Contacts providers/intern for confirmation and apprises supervisor of any changes. Updates documents that reflect the changes in the staffing of providers in the reports that are being provided to upper management and/or outgoing sources.

Enters information such as clinic appointment, no-show, clinic or patient cancellation data into the VSE or Vista information system(s) and software. Generates a variety of documents/reports for the clinic/section. Provides clinical staff with clinic availability profiles to improve and compliment Access. Informs patient about the benefits of My Healthevet in person authentication and direct patients to areas associated with the program to be registered.

Establishes and maintains office records and information, files of various types that may be needed or will assist in the efficient operation of the facility and during contingency plans. Requisitions needed office supplies, materials, and services.

Uses the VSE or Vista information system and databases or spreadsheet software to schedule appointments; create, enter, revise, sort or calculate, and retrieve data for reports; review alerts from providers; and enter patients' appointment data, providers' labs, pharmacy and/or radiology request, and annotate/update patient record. Supports the efforts to achieve the Missed Opportunity Rates by performing AudioCare and review and completion, continued verification of the correct demographic information in the system.

Work Schedule: Tour of duty is Monday- Friday 7:30am-4:00pm or 8:00am- 4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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.
• 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.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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).
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.


Grade Determinations:

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6
Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. Experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level includes but is not limited to:
Independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting; Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes; Responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines; Scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults; 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 patients 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 patients eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.).

AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. 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.

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].

Preferred Experience:
Previous Clinical Experience
Previous Experience Scheduling: Appointments, Cancellations, Labs, X-Rays
Previous Experience Providing Customer Service & Resolving Informal Complaints
Previous Experience Verifying and Updating Insurance
Previous Experience Working in a Team Environment
Previous Experience Working Independently


References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/117 PART II APPENDIX G45 MEDICAL SUPPORT ASSISTANT QUALIFICATION STANDARD
GS-0679

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 06.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary (up to 6 hours), requires walking (up to 4 hours), bending (occasional), standing (up to 1 hour) and/or pushing cart with office supplies, lifting up to 5 pounds at a time such as a case of copier paper, use of fingers, both hands required, talking on the telephone using telephone headset. The work does not require any special physical effort or ability.

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.

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.