Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Summary
This Advanced Medical Support Assistant serves as an integrated part of the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) within Office of Community Care (OCC) of the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center located in Shreveport, Louisiana.
This job is open to

• The public
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

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Duties
The Advanced Medical Support Assistant works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (i.e. PACT, Specialty Clinics, Compensation & Pension (C&P), Community Care) and performs clerical duties and customer service for the proper and timely treatment of patients.
Duties of this position may include but are not limited to:

• Maintains appointment schedules for Community Care
• Communicates with Community Care providers to ensure they accept VA patients and payments
• Prepares any required pre-appointment documents
• Schedules the appropriate level of care
• Documents the schedule in the appropriate consult
• Obtains medical documentation from community providers
• Scans to appropriate consult within the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) and alerts VA providers for continuity of care
• Coordinates internal and external care between customers and providers
• Processes consults following Community Care Network procedures and guidelines and enters appropriate authorizations, if required, utilizing the correct Fund Control Point (FCP)/Obligation number and correct cost estimations
• Schedules Veteran appointments with community providers using Health Share Referral Management (HSRM) or other software scheduling options
• Uses established business rules to schedule appointment for Veterans which includes clinic visits and consultations
• Ensures all appointments are scheduled timely and the provider and patient's desired dates are met
• Works collaboratively in the PACT interdisciplinary coordinated care model
• Participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care, setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of work to meet team and patient needs
• Provides input and problem solving on operational issues or procedures, performing follow-up to administrative needs of the Veteran
• Possesses good organizational skills and work effectively with staff and patients from different backgrounds
• Possesses working knowledge of appropriate laws, policies, guidelines and regulations to determine a Veteran's entitlement to medical treatment.
• Supports patient safety standards using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients through the use of two forms of identification
• Uses each interaction with the patient to validate and update patient demographic information, over the phone, to decrease the incidence of returned mail due to incorrect addresses and inability to contact patient by phone due to incorrect number
• Explains the VA's mandate to collect insurance information to Veterans, their families, and other eligible patients
• Collects, scans, and updates health insurance information, serving a major role in the revenue process
• Contributes to the revenue collection process by identifying patients with third-party insurance
• Promotes Veteran registration for and Utilization of My HealtheVet (MHV).
• Coordinates with the private sector to authorize and schedule care to include clinical documentation management, correspondence to the Veteran on non-VA providers, tracking of pre and post-appointment follow-ups
• Looks for opportunities to correct problems in processing applicant requests by interviewing, reviewing the case and expediting procedures
• Maintains contact with the medical and clerical staff in other units to resolve delays from misunderstandings

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 667-00145-F
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).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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.
  
  • (1) 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,
  • (2) Education. One year above high school; OR,
  • (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
• Certification. None required.
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• English Language Proficiency.Medical Support Assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Policy.

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. To qualify for the GS-06 level, your resume must demonstrate you possess the required experience necessary to possess the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) required for the grade. Be specific when describing the job duties that demonstrate you possess the KSAs listed. Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit.
Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06
(a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level. To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate in your resume that you have experience that includes:

• Entering, modifying, retrieving sensitive information into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports;
• Scheduling medical appointments in a clinical setting;
• Performing patient support work;
• Providing customer service and identifying patient concerns to ensure satisfactory resolution;
• Advanced level of medical terminology.

(b) 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.).
(c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).In addition, you must demonstrate ALL of the following KSAs in your resume:

1. 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.
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. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels, as well as resolving patient concerns.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

References: VA Handbook 5005/117 Part II, Appendix G45 VA Qualification Standard for Medical Support Assistant, GS-0679.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06.
Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
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.
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

• Benefits
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How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
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