The Supervisory MSA oversees a VHA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), Mental Health or Specialty Care Support Team, with overall responsibility to the Supervisory Medical Administration Specialist. The mission is to provide administrative and clerical assistance, guidance and support to the medical staff and to manage the day-to-day activity in the outpatient treatment clinics ensuring that established policies and procedures are followed as they relate to outpatient care.

Duties

The incumbent functions as the Supervisor, and is responsible for the planning, directing and controlling of a full range of administrative and clerical support functions as they relate to all outpatient treatment areas. This Supervisor administers a program that is broad, diversified and requires high performance and leadership qualities of the incumbent. The effectiveness with which the assignments are accomplished has a significant impact on the overall mission of the Health Care System. The incumbent will also serve as an MSA in a VHA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) or Specialty Care Support Team as needed. Important interfaces and collaborations also occur with larger health care system providers including VA and non-VA specialists, hospitals, diagnostic and treating facilities, and community based programs. The incumbent will act in the capacity of liaison/expeditor between patients and clinical staff as well as specialty staff and ancillary services. The incumbent works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model in PACT or Specialty Care setting where the patient aligned care team model is used. The incumbent is able to independently manage position responsibilities with little supervision as well as set priorities and deadlines adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs. Incumbent reviews the clinic utilization by using various reports (e.g., Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary) and assist with clinic access contingency plans, in conjunction with Primary Care Management, by adjusting appointment times, location, or dates as well as shift patients to other healthcare providers as conflict with staffing and/or coverage occurs. The incumbent will notify his/her supervisor when clinic access is outside established performance guidelines or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled within mandated clinic timeframes and/or by the patient's desired date. Ensures subordinate staff schedule appointments in accordance with current established VA/VHA Directives, Handbooks, policies and procedures. Daily, the incumbent reviews active/pending consults, Electronic Wait List, and Recall List reports for accuracy and disposition. Ensures subordinate staff make all appointments with the patient's input or based on instructions from the clinic provider or other appropriate clinic staff. This may require a high level of coordination to avoid patients having to make multiple trips to the medical center or clinic whenever possible. Ensures subordinate staff notify the provider or other appropriate clinical staff if scheduling instructions are contrary to current established VA/VHA Directives, Handbooks, policies and procedures. Scheduling instruction conflicts which cannot be appropriately resolved within teamlet must be elevated to the Supervisory Medical Administration Specialist. Ensures subordinate staff support patient safety standards by using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients through the use of two forms of identification, name and full Social Security Number. The patient may also present the Veterans Identification Card (VIC) for identification. Ensures subordinate staff use each interaction with the patient to validate and update patient demographic information, either in person during check-in or 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. Ensures subordinate staff adhere to VA's mandate to collect insurance information to veterans, their families, and other eligible patients. He/she ensures staff collect, 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. The incumbent will be required to train staff on the Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) process. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00m - 4:30pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Supervisory Medical Support Assistant Relocation 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. 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. 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. Preferred Experience 2 years' experience working in a VA clinical environment coordinating clinic schedules for providers (e.g. medical doctors nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists/psychiatrists). 2 years' experience using Vista scheduling software in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. 2 years' experience with medical terminology in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. 2 years' experience managing patient communications in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. (e.g. telephone and/or e-mail). 2 years' experience with documenting appropriate information into an electronic medical record (CPRS). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Please see the Additional Information Section of this announcement for details. Grade Determinations: Supervisory Medical Support Assistant GS-08 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level leading or supervising MSAs or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting. Assignment. Supervisory MSAs at this level plan and direct programs at medical centers and/or satellite outpatient clinics. They have full responsibility for supervising at least one subordinate MSA team leader, supervisor, or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: evaluating the work of subordinate staff; resolving complex problems to ensure patient services are met; evaluating new products, equipment, and systems to make recommendations for improved operations; identifying educational or training needs; making final decisions on hiring selections; evaluating performance, and taking disciplinary action when necessary. The employee has administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the subordinate lead, supervisor, and MSA's activities. Responsible for extracting and analyzing data to provide reports to senior management in support of tracking measures. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: i. Ability to provide the full range of administrative and supervisory duties to at least one subordinate MSA supervisor or team leader in a patient support setting which includes assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards and/or advancements. ii. Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with internal and external customers to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensure compliance with established policies and regulations. iii. Ability to provide briefings, orientations, staff development, and training in a patient support setting. iv. Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and identify budget needs. v. Advanced knowledge of managing or leading patient support staff in a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment. References: VA Handbook 5005/117 Part II Appendix G45. Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standard GS-0679 Veterans Health Administration August 1, 2019. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-08. 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

There is no education substitution at this grade level. Education may still be used to meet the basic requirements for this position.

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.

Contacts

• Address Thomas E Creek VA Medical Center 6010 Amarillo Boulevard, West Amarillo, TX 79106 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]