Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

This Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) position is with Veterans Health Administration (Department of Veterans Affairs) in Phoenix, AZ. The incumbent serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant in the Community Care Services Section, Business Office Support Service (BOSS). The Assignments include but are not limited to: assuring coverage of the Community Care Services Unit; ensuring accurate/timeliness of the NVCC process in accordance with NVCC Guidelines. Key duties: • VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo The Advanced MSA works collaboratively with staff at the Medical Center, Contract Vendors, Medical Center affiliates, Community Healthcare Providers, and any Third Party Administrator(s) to coordinate Veteran PACT/SHIP/Specialty Care/Community Care and Choice activities. This coordination involves mutli-disciplinary communication and coordination as a member of a cross-functional team..Duties include but are not limited to: Greets and checks patients in/out for appointments. Schedules/Cancels appointments and interprets/verifies provider orders/consults in accordance with VHA Scheduling directives and guidelines. Ensures that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic and makes any necessary adjustments. Develops/maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary team, VA medical centers, and other agencies. Facilitates/processes secure messaging with the patient and team; notifies patients of normal lab results. Develops and manages a tracking system for follow up care such as consults, tests, etc.. Participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care. Sets priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs. May work with the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions and entering appropriate information into the electronic record. Monitors pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g., X-ray, lab work). Monitors orders, consults, recalls to verify and validate accuracy, resolve issues and schedule/disposition as necessary. 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 Aligned Care Team (PACT) or the clinical team within the Specialty they are supporting, 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. 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. Enters appropriate information into the electronic record; monitors pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure. 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) Supports Patient Safety standards using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients and adheres to standards/responsibilities in responding to medical emergencies. Other duties as assigned by MSA Supervisor or Lead MSA Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, Tour Negotiable After Selection Compressed/Flexible: No Virtual: This is a virtual position and requires you to live within 50 miles commuting distance of and report for duty at your nearest VHA location. Telework: Ad-Hoc Functional Statement #: 53840A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Qualifications: Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: 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). United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Experience. None. 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. Grandfathering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: (1) 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. (2) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation. NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06 Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-5).This is the full performance level for MSAs. At this level, the MSA independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of health care services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. The MSA is responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, and scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Preferred Experience: Community Care Scheduling Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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. 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. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians. 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. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations. 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. 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 Physical Requirements: The work is mainly sedentary, but may require walking, bending, standing, and/or carrying of light items such as files and manuals. The work does not require any special physical effort or ability. The work area is usually an adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated office or medical facility setting. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions. View the full announcement and apply on USAJOBS.gov.