This position reports to Ancillary Services, which encompasses two departments at two campuses of the Battle Creek VA Medical Center. The Advanced MSA provides support to Radiology and Laboratory Services. The Advanced MSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.

Duties

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Serve as the key contact for Providers, Veterans, family members, and other staff members who obtain services from Ancillary Services. Resolve simple complaints and refer others to the supervisor. Answer general questions pertaining to Ancillary Services such as, but not limited to, policies, appointment cancellation, hours, and availability of services. Answer telephone calls from internal and external customers. Provide the appropriate response to inquiries and respond to requests for appointments. Determine the source of telephone calls and handle appropriately in accordance with Service and Medical Center policies. Perform all scheduling actions in accordance with VA Directives, Radiology Program Office scheduling and orders management guidance, and Service procedures and policies; and instruct patients on standard preparation procedures required prior to testing (i.e., liquid intake, medications, dietary instructions, lab tests, sending case history forms, etc.). Schedule appointments in the scheduling package and the Radiology package, if applicable, avoiding conflicts with other scheduled appointments within the Service and other Medical Center services. Receive consults, as applicable, per policy and monitors consults for completion. Enter patients onto the electronic wait list (EWL) or recall reminder system as necessary. Manage the EWL and recall reminders, scheduling patients as appropriate. Apply the established guidelines concerning correctly and appropriately identifying and verifying all patients whether face-to face or during telephone contact. Perform required procedures when a patient checks-in for scheduled appointments, such as verify and update patient demographics and insurance information. Monitor all required software systems used for check-in, appointment requests, and appointment cancellations. Process all entries as appropriate from these systems. Enter documentation into the medical record as appropriate following established guidelines and policies. Notify section personnel immediately of the arrival of patients awaiting examinations or when STAT requests are received. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 91715-A Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

The following are requirements for appointment as a Medical Support Assistant (MSA) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). These requirements apply to all VHA MSAs in the General Schedule (GS)-0679 series. 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 TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED; OR, (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED. 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. Creditable Experience (1) Knowledge of MSA Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as an MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting. (2) Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience [or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting] at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and a range of varieties as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. (3) Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, an MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service. 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). 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. Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Advanced Medical Support Assistant, GS-6 You must possess one (1) full year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. This experience may include but is not limited to: independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. The AMSA is responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults; 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 monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility; 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.). This experience must be clearly demonstrated in your resume. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/117 Part II Appendix G45 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-0679-06. Physical Requirements: Most of the work is performed in an office setting, primarily while seated. The position requires some standing, ambulation, bending, and carrying of items such as training manuals. The Advanced MSA Is required to sit for long periods of time at a computer terminal typing data while having face to face contact with Veterans and answering the telephone. In addition, there can be increased stress due to the Intensity-of a patient/customer complaint or concern. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Education

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

Transcripts must be official or unofficial college transcripts. A copy of your certificate/degree or screenshot of your current classes are not a replacement of your transcript and they will not be used in the qualifying process. Your transcript must include your name and the name and full address of the institution.

If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying based on education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.

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 Battle Creek VA Medical Center 5500 Armstrong Road Battle Creek, MI 49037 US
• Name: Carol Phillips
• Phone: 765-251-1129
• Email: [email protected]