• Job Description

  Req#: 809460200
  This AMSA works in the Health Administration Services section and provides medical administrative support to one or more outpatient clinics and is an integral member of the outpatient clinic team to effectively carry out day-to-day administrative operations of the clinic. The incumbent is responsible for accurate appointment management and the coordination of all administrative information between the professional staff and the patient.
  
  
  
  
  Duties
  
  
  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. Some of the major duties of this position include, and are not limited to:
  
  
  Requirements
  
  
  
  
  Qualifications
  
  
  Basic Requirements:
  • United States Citizenship : Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.).
  • 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.May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification
  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.
  
  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: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6: In addition to the basic requirements, you must meet the specialized experience for the grade:
  • Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. Experience includes, but is 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;
    • Participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic;
    • 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 (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:
  • 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.
  • 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.
  Preferred Experience: Customer service skills, ability to multi-task, organizational skills
  
  Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
  
  The full performance level of this vacancy is 5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 6 to 6.
  
  Physical Requirements: Work is performed in an office setting and is primarily sedentary. May require lifting and carrying of light loads (e.g. files, records etc.).
  
  Resume Reminder : Your resume must include the following for each job listed:1) Job title and grade level/salary. In order to show that you meet the experience requirements, you must document grades you have held and how long you have held them.

• About the company

  The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with integrating life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 1700 VA medical centers and outpatient clinics located throughout the country.

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