Advanced Medical Support Assistant (Outpatient)

About the role

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) position is a foundational role within the VHA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) initiative, including all interdisciplinary clinics, Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), and Community Living Centers. Patient care is delivered in a team-based model known as the teamlet.

Responsibilities

• Operate computerized programs and systems to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports.
• Provide advanced knowledge of medical terminology to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients.
• Schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting.
• Work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties, performing patient support work.
• Communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone with internal and external customers.
• Collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to accomplish team goal setting and ensure medical care to patients is met.
• Independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
• Communicate tactfully and effectively, electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing with internal and external customers.
• Develop and maintain effective and efficient communication with patients, interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies.
• Coordinate with the care team as appropriate, participate in team huddles and team meetings to manage, plan, and follow-up with patient care.
• Support patient safety standards using the correct Veterans Affairs identification for all patients.
• Explain VA's mandate to collect insurance information, scan, and update insurance information.
• Ensure that all health information is integrated into the Computerized Patient Record System.
• Screen phone calls in a courteous and timely manner.
• Interpret and communicate requirements of VHA scheduling directives and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities.
• Recommend changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines.
• Coordinate with the patient care team to review clinic appointments and ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored.
• Set priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs.
• Manage patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues.
• Assist with the Beneficiary Travel Program and work with the Health Benefits Advisor Office/Member Services for eligibility and means test functions.
• Process incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet.
• Prepare correspondence to notify patients of results and manage a system for follow-up care.
• Enter appropriate information into the electronic record.
• Develop and manage a tracking system to monitor pre-appointment requirements and assure readiness for patient visits and procedures.
• Participate in PACT team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care.
• Organize the work of the team to meet deadlines and ensure compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
• Aid in training other MSA levels.

Requirements

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.).
• Education: High school diploma or General Education Development equivalency certificate or homeschooling completion or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education or college transcript.
• 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: 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:

• In addition to the basic requirements for employment - candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified.

Qualifications

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level that equips the candidate with the following:
• Knowledge: 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.
• Knowledge: 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.
• Knowledge: Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
• Knowledge: 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.
• Knowledge: Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
• Knowledge: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

Benefits

• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time off per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
• 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).

Pay

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified.

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) - GS-6

Schedule

Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

Virtual

This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement

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