The Lead Medical Support Assistant position serves as a Lead to the Medical Support Assistant staff in the Business Office and is a foundational role within the VHA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) initiative to include all interdisciplinary clinics and call centers that support the initiative. Important interfaces and collaborations also occur with larger healthcare system providers including VA and non-VA specialists, hospitals, diagnostic and treating facilities, and community-based programs.

Duties

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. Knowledge of VHA Directives for: VHA Outpatient Scheduling Processes and Procedures, Process for Managing Patients When Patient Demand Exceeds Current Clinic Capacity, Priority Scheduling for Outpatient Medical Services and Inpatient Hospital Care for Service Connected Veterans and Priority for Outpatient Medical Services and Inpatient Hospital Care. Knowledge of VA regulations, Systems Redesign Principles, local Medical Center Memoranda/policies, and standard operating procedures. Knowledge of eligibility for VA medical care, priorities for care, release of information, Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Laws, and the Community Care Coordination and Veterans' Choice Program. Must have knowledge of and be able to provide information about VA Medical Care Cost Recovery Program to patients regarding insurance data collection and revenue collection. The incumbent(s) must have a solid knowledge of multiple systems and current computer technology regarding imaging applications, PC Fax applications, and numerous VistA applications. Incumbent(s) must possess working knowledge of clinic processes and services to function in and interact with various clinics throughout the hospital. Employee must have knowledge of and ability to apply policies and procedures associated with operational activities that affect workload data. The incumbent(s) assists staff with a variety of clerical duties in one or more outpatient clinics that provide a variety of medical services. The incumbent(s) must have knowledge of clinic procedures and regulations; basic medical terminology, skill in operating computer systems and applications, such as VistA, CPRS, and Microsoft applications to accurately enter or extract information. Employee performs a variety of lead 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(s) must have a basic knowledge of enrollment, eligibility and beneficiary travel and will assist as a backup for these programs. Work Schedule: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm; Monday through Friday. Telework: Not eligible for telework. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 55077-O Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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. (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. 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). 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, a 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.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: 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. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/117, PART II, Appendix G45, dated August 1, 2019The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. Physical Requirements: Work is generally sedentary in nature with some walking, standing and bending. Occasionally requires moderate physical activity, e.g. caring light items such as books and papers, or lifting stacks of boxes or records.

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.

Contacts

• Address Sheridan VA Medical Center 1898 Fort Road Sheridan, WY 82801 US
• Name: Gregory Anderson
• Phone: (720)857-5367
• Email: [email protected]