Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent employees of the Veterans Health Administration ONLY. Posting will close once 50 applications are received.

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Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Provide specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an inter-professional coordinated care delivery model.
• 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.
• Work collaboratively with VISN programs, services, and inter-professional coordinated care team members to provide access to care and meet the need of Veterans via various available contact modalities to include but not limited to telephone calls, secure messaging, chat, text messaging and video.
• The AMSA is responsible for answering telephones, secure messaging and chat messages, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the VISN CCC, scheduling appointments, interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.
• Maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, inter-professional care delivery teams and VA medical centers.
• Scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments; entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests for multiple electronic sources; monitoring outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility.
• Gathering and obtaining medical information from patients; processing medication refill request.
• Reviewing electronic health record, obtaining medical records, participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or VISN CCC staff to determine the daily needs of the VISN CCC.
• Verifying and updating demographics when contacted by patients.
• Manage patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues; evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists; informs inter-professional team members about shared patients.
• Provide information and resolution to Veterans' requests within scope, uses administrative judgement to escalate symptomatic concerns to clinicians with the VISN CCC or directs the contact to the appropriate discipline within the CCC or department for resolution.
• Provide accurate detail of organizational information to Veterans regarding the different services the VA offers.
• Provide high-quality customer service to Veterans and their families/caregivers.
• Communicate tactfully and effectively to challenging customers who may be threatening, abusive, or distraught.

Work Schedule: Full-time; Varying shifts 24/7 Operations to include nights, weekends and holidays.
Virtual: This is NOT a Virtual position.
Remote: This IS a Remote position
Functional Statement #: 52432A
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Trial Period: The first year of continuous service in the same or similar position of a preference eligible in the excepted service is a trial period. The first 2 years of continuous service in the same or similar position of an individual in the excepted service (other than a preference eligible), is a trial period. Employees promoted, transferred, or otherwise assigned, for the first time, to supervisory or managerial positions shall be required to serve a probationary period. If an employee is required to concurrently serve both a probationary period in a supervisory or managerial position under 5 C.F.R. part 315, subpart I, and a probationary or trial period following initial appointment or reinstatement in accordance with Civil Service Rule 11, the latter takes precedence and fulfills the requirements of the EO

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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.

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 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: One (1) year 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.
• Education - Four (4) years above high school.

- 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 3j.

Grade Determinations:

In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Advanced Medical Support Assistant, GS-0679-06: In order to be found qualified for this position, you must possess the following;

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05). Examples of experience at the next lower grade must include; Knowledge of medical terminology, scheduling appointments (including interpreting and verifying provider orders), canceling, rescheduling patient's appointments and/or consults; use of Microsoft Office, entering no-show information; monitoring the electronic wait list; preparing for clinic visits; monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility; ensuring encounter forms are completed in order to obtain appropriate workload credit; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information; processing all emergency and non-emergency transfers to other facilities or hospitals; performing basic eligibility, co-pays and pre-authorization requirements for specific coverage, and other related support work in a health care setting.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below:

1. Ability to collaborate, communicate, set priorities, and organize the work in order to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations
2. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, both orally and in writing, in order to meet program objectives. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational level.
3. Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process as it relates to access to care.
4. Advanced knowledge of managing a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment.
5. Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with operational activities that affect the patient flow, patient care, and the revenue process.
6. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

GS-06 Advanced Medical Support Assistant Assignment: The Advanced MSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. 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.

Preferred Experience: Minimum two (2) years experience as Medical Support Assistant preferred. Experience with local site Call Center and/or PACT.

References: VA Handbook 5005/53; Part II, Appendix G45. MEDICAL SUPPORT ASSISTANT QUALIFICATION STANDARD, dated August 1, 2019. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-0679-06.

Physical Requirements: No special physical exertion is required. The work is primarily performed while sitting though some work may require periods of standing. The regular and recurring work of the position involves sitting at a desk, conferences, meetings, etc., and occasional visits to activity work sites. Occasional use of automobile and public conveyances may be required. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-06.

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.