The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) serves the Mental Health ICC at the Albert Lea VA Clinic within the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. The AMSA's work impacts the administrative aspect of patient care, including: access, scheduling/coordinating appointments using advanced clinic access principles, collecting, and updating demographic, and insurance information, patient processing, and customer service.

Duties

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. Major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following: Works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic utilization by using various reports. Develops and maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary team, VA Medical Centers, and other agencies. Participate in team huddles and/or team meetings to manage and plan patient care. Set priorities and deadlines, adjust the flow and sequencing of work to meet team and patient needs. Work with the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions. Enter appropriate information into the electronic record. Monitor pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure. Manage electronic wait list to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues. Participate and provide input in problem solving on operational issues or procedures. Independently utilizes reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment. Applies advanced knowledge of polices and procedures associated with operational activities that affect the patient flow, patient, and the revenue process. Posses knowledge of VHA Directives, Facility Policies and Standards of Practice, and Department/Program Policies and Standards of Practice as related to appointment scheduling processes and procedures, consult management, and access to care. Maintains records of statistical data as requested for the purpose of clinic utilization, access, and efficiency reports. Orients/Instructs staff in basic administrative policies and procedures related to appointment scheduling, consult management, and other clinic/program administrative topics. Has awareness of safety concerns, regulations, polices and procedures, and employs appropriate safety practices. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Telework: adhoc telework; this is not a remote position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required ***This occupational series is eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). Repayment is limited to $40,000 annually, up to $100,000 in lifetime awards. Participants must sign a service agreement and maintain an acceptable level of performance to remain eligible for this program.***

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 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. Certification: None Required 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). 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: Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or changed to a lower grade within the occupation. 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. 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. Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6 Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level, which includes, but not limited to: Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports; Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients; Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting; Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work; Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers; and Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution. 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. All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) in your application may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA to demonstrate how you have gained each one in your application package or on a supplemental document. References: VA Handbook 5005/117 Part II, Appendix G45 Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

Education

IMPORTANT: There is no education substitution at the GS-06 grade level.

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 Minneapolis VA Medical Center One Veterans Drive Minneapolis, MN 55417 US
• Name: Timothy Michael
• Phone: 612-467-5503
• Email: [email protected]