Medical Support Assistant (advanced) EHRM

Advanced Medical Support Assistant

The incumbent serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant in the Clinical Access Management Service for the LTC Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center and its associated CBOC. This announcement is being used to create an fill multiple positions for the inception of the VA's new Electronic Health Records Management (EHRM) System. This position is for our facilities as follows: Adrian CBOC -$54,231.00-$70,497.00

Responsibilities

The AMSA 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. Some of the major duties of this position include, and are not limited to:

• Answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit.
• Scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.
• Entering no-show information.
• Monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources.
• Verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for appointments.
• Processing laboratory related activities such as dictation, transcription, upload reference lab results, etc.
• Coordinating administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status.
• Coordinating with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics and makes adjustments as necessary.
• Developing and/or maintaining effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies.
• Processing incoming patient secure messaging through My Healthy Vet and coordinates with care team as appropriate.
• Participating 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.
• Setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs.
• Identifying incomplete encounters and communicating findings to providers, as needed.
• Entering appropriate information into the electronic record; monitoring pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure.
• Managing patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues; evaluating patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment; informing team members about shared patients.

Work Schedule: Primarily Monday through Friday (schedule to be discussed during interviews). Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 92306A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required.

Requirements

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). 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.

Upon completion of your probationary period 2 year probation, 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 and Education

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, Education. One year above high school; OR, Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

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.

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 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:

Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or changed to a lower grade within the occupation.

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.

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.

Foreign Education

To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.

Grade Determinations

GS-06 Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the [GS-5] grade level.

You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are 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 patient's eligibility status.

Additionally, candidates must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines.

2. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.

3. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing, with internal and external customers.

4. Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process.

5. Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery.

6. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology.

References: APPENDIX G45. MEDICAL SUPPORT ASSISTANT QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0679.

Physical Requirements: Work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching and lifting moderately heavy items.

Education

There is no education substitution at this grade level.

Additional