This Advanced Medical Support Assistant - Health Benefits/Enrollment position is in the Medical Administration Service of the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System located in Biloxi, MS. The position is physically located at the Pensacola Joint Ambulatory Care Center located in Pensacola, FL.

Duties

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) Health Benefits/Enrollment clerk works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model and performs receptionist duties, customer service and other duties assigned for the proper and timely treatment access to care for patients. The duties of the Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) include but are not limited to: Notifies their supervisor when clinic access is less than desirable or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled within mandated clinic time frames. Coordinates administrative services for Veterans, family members, caregivers, and public, administrative, and clinical staff to ensure continuity of inpatient and outpatient care. Ensures that all necessary health/administrative information are integrated into the VA software systems for enrollment and care by scanning the documents. Develops and maintains effective working relationships with all clinical and administrative staff in determining priorities of activities in support of direct patient care. Interprets and applies a complex body of pertinent laws, regulations, directives, and policies that relate to the administration of VA healthcare benefits. Has the knowledge to assume the role of a Transportation Specialist or Medical Support Assistant (MSA) during special projects or heavy workload, for leave, vacancies, or when the Transportation Specialist are detailed to fill-in other areas. Responsible for completion of personnel reports, rosters, and maintenance of supplies and forms. Requires frequent changes to VHA directives, regulations and local policies and constant coordination to ensure compliance and standardization associated with Advanced Clinic Access principles. Conducts special audits, studies, or surveys to be utilized in the development of procedures, and to assist in collecting complete and appropriate data for reporting processes and for generating revenue. Generates patient workload reports for validation and monitors activity in clinical areas to assure consistent and accurate reporting. Organizes and implements quality assurance monitors; prepares a wide variety of administrative reports and documents for supervisor and Health Administration Service/Business Office and generates patient workload reports for validation while monitoring activity to assure consistent and accurate reporting. Conducts patient/employee surveys, interviews, observes workflow; guides patients through hospital system, inputs referrals, documents complaints, and provides follow-up and suggests resolutions to supervisor. Interpret and communicate requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities. Schedules appointments and utilizes the NEAR accurately in a timely manner. All appointments will be made with the patient's input, either in person or by phone. This may require a high level of coordination to avoid patients having to make multiple trips to the medical center or clinic whenever possible. Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations. Provides administrative support to one or more outpatient clinics and the main hospital campus and is an integral member of the team to effectively conduct day-to- day administrative operations relating to veteran benefits. Responsible for accurate appointment management and the coordination of all administrative information between the professional staff and the patient. Knowledge of clinic procedures and regulations; basic medical terminology, skill in operating computer systems and applications, such as VISTA, ESR, BTSSS, CPRS, and Microsoft applications to accurately enter or extract information. Assist with clinic access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, location, or dates as well as shifting patients to other healthcare providers as conflict with staffing and/or coverage occurs internally or externally for new patient appointments. Screens/receives phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determine the nature of requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established business processes. Determines eligibility/entitlement for benefits of all applicants using various methods including income assessments, military discharge documents including separation papers, awards, commendations, computer hospital inquiry (HINQ), Master Patient Index (MPI) Veterans Information Solution (VIS), Veteran Benefits Management System (VBMS), Defense Personnel Records Information Retrieval System (DPRIS)and other means, such as communications with VA Regional Office or VA Records Processing Centers. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am and 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 520-00273-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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: 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. 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: The work is mostly sedentary. It typically requires sitting with sustained periods of concentration. There will be some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light objects. The position may also require stooping, reaching, lifting, pulling, and other moderate exertion or strain. May occasionally have to walk some distance to a meeting.

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

Contacts

• Address Biloxi VA Medical Center 400 Veterans Avenue Biloxi, MS 39531 US
• Name: Cynthia McLeod
• Phone: (757) 749-4965
• Email: [email protected]