The Lead Medical Support Assistant works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (i.e., PACT/Specialty Clinic) and performs all related duties such as customer service and other duties assigned for the proper and timely treatment of patients and assures appointment schedules are maintained by MSA staff for one or more outpatient clinics.

Duties

Major Duties as Assigned, but not limited to: The Lead MSA monitors and makes work assignments, provides input on performance, resolves daily workplace issues, and maintains efficient workflow. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: assuring coverage of all areas of responsibility; conducting ongoing reviews to ensure quality of work; ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members to include changes in policies and procedures; distributing and balancing workload; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; orienting and providing on-the-job training for new and current employees; ensuring all training requirements are met; organizing the work structure of his/her assigned areas; and acting as liaison between MSA and staff in order to resolve day-to-day conflicts. The incumbent assists staff with a variety of clerical duties in one or more outpatient clinics that provide a variety of medical services. The incumbent must have knowledge of clinic procedures and regulations; basic medical terminology, skill in operating computer systems and applications, such as Veterans Health Information and Technology Architecture (VistA), Computerized Patient Records System (CPRS), VSE, and Microsoft applications to accurately enter or extract information. Employee performs a variety of supervisory administrative functions associated with patient care and treatment in one of several clinics performing a variety of medical services. Employee must acquire knowledge of internal organizational procedures, knowledge of various facility services, knowledge of commonly used medical terminology and abbreviations, and VA acronyms and their meaning. Incumbent must have a basic knowledge of enrollment, eligibility, and beneficiary travel and will assist as a backup for these programs. Assures MSA staff explains the VA's mandate to collect insurance information to Veterans, their families, and other eligible patients. Assures staff collects, scans, and updates health insurance information serving a major role in the revenue process. The incumbent contributes to the revenue collection process by identifying patients with third party insurance. Promotes Veteran registration for and utilization of My HealtheVet (MHV). Assures front line contact with patients and staff by setting the tone for perception concerning quality of healthcare services at the VA. A high degree of tact and diplomacy is required when dealing with Veterans who have multiple health problems and who may be frustrated with the administrative process associated with diagnosis and treatment. A caring, compassionate and sensitive manner is essential when explaining procedures to Veterans and their family members both in person and on the phone. Incumbent is a working Lead MSA who performs all other duties with the staff he/she leads. The Lead MSA provides guidance for the GS-5/6 MSAs in their particular clinics. The Lead position is responsible to the Supervisory MSA for ensuring that work assignments of both him/her and MAS employees within the clinic are carried out by performing a range of duties such as: - Distributes and balances workload among employees including him/her in accordance with established workflows and schedules. Ensures timely accomplishment of the assigned workload and assure that each employee has enough to keep them busy. - Keeps in touch with the status and progress of work and makes day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities, obtaining assistance from the supervisor on problems that may arise such as backlogs which cannot be disposed of promptly. Work should be monitored so that backlogs do not occur. - Gives on-the-job training to employees in accordance with established policies and practices. - Instructs employees on changes in work procedures. Provide written instruction/documentation of change. - Maintains current informational knowledge base and answers questions of other employees on procedures, policies, directives, etc. and obtains information or decisions from the supervisor on problems that arise. - Checks on work in progress and reviews completed work of employees in the area to ensure correct procedures have been accomplished. - Refers to supervisor questions or matters not covered by standards and problems that make it difficult for employees to meet performance standards and competencies. - Helps resolve simple informal complaints of employees and refers others to supervisor. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm OR 8:00 am - 4:30 pm OR 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Lead Medical Support Assistant/PD00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: a. 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.). b. 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. c. Certification. None required. d. 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. (2) 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. (3) 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. e. 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. f. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. g. 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 Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Lead Medical Support Assistant, GS-7 (a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level. (b) Assignment. The Lead MSA is responsible for the coordination of Advanced MSA assignments and workflow found in an interdisciplinary unit. The Lead MSA is responsible for daily workload assessments, assigning work, and assuring proper staffing coverage; evaluating training records; and determining training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings. The Lead assists the unit with complex and non-standard procedures, including clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members, to include changes in policies and procedures; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; and acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: i. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources. ii. Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting. iii. Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines. iv. Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff. v. Ability to provide staff development and training. vi. Ability to manage staffing requirements, manage workflow priorities, and adjust the flow of work to meet team and patient needs. This includes the ability to follow-up on pending issues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics. Preferred Experience: Ability to work independently to accomplish a wide variety of duties, including setting & leading priorities, coordinating tasks, training and organizing workflow. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, both orally and in writing, to meet programs objectives. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels. Ability to gather and trend data to determine efficiency of internal processes. Ability to operate computerized programs and databases to enter, modify and retrieve sensitive information/data into or from electronic medical records, scheduling systems and/or reports. Excel most importantly. Independently utilizes reference sources, decision making, and lead team work to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment. Ability to identify customer's concerns, perform the tasks required to resolve the issue accurately and timely, and follow-up as necessary to ensure a satisfactory resolution. References: VA Handbook 5005/117, Part II, Appendix G45, Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standard dated August 1, 2019. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

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.

Contacts

• Address VA Central Texas Health Care System 1901 Veterans Memorial Drive Temple, TX 76504 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]