This position is located at Wilkes Barre VAMC. This position provides support to Health Administration Service line.

Duties

The Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) is responsible for answering questions for lower graded staff relating to healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. The Lead MSA monitors and makes work assignments, provides input on performance, resolves daily workplace issues, maintains efficient workflow and creates a positive work environment. The Lead MSA also functions as a Lead MSA trainer. The core function of the lead MSA trainer is to train all new and incumbent schedulers (MSAs, technicians, nurses, and various other providers) on a standardized and comprehensive training program to ensure accuracy of scheduling, and business operations of MSA duties. In addition to teaching in the traditional didactic setting, the incumbent will spend time in the outpatient clinic ensuring continuity among schedulers, perform competency assessment scheduling check list for all employees with scheduling keys, and provide just-in-time training for employees who are not following the national scheduling directive and local standard operating procedures. Duties include but are not limited to: 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; 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; Ensures accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; Acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, MSA staff, patients and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day to day conflicts; Provides comprehensive, detailed, on the job training to all new clinic personnel in the clinic unit area; Monitors and typically schedules, cancels, and re-schedules patients' appointments and/or consults, enters no-show information, monitors the electronic wait list, prepares for clinic visits, monitors both inpatient and outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility, ensures that encounter forms are completed in order to obtain appropriate workload credit, verifies and updates demographics and insurance information, processes all emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or to private hospitals (where applicable), and performs/facilitates basic eligibility. Ability to recognize when students need supplementation training. Creating competency assessment check lists, tracking training participation in TMS, training feedback, pre and post training tests, scoring tests, and providing feedback to training participants, updating training material to reflect changes in policy/directive. Preparing training material for classes, training room logistics. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Title/Functional Statement #:LEAD MEDICAL SUPPORT ASSISTANT/PD000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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. 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: Lead Medical Support Assistant, GS-7 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include: Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines; expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems; coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability; develop and/or maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies; processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinates with care team as appropriate; setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs; identifies incomplete encounters and communicates findings to providers; enters appropriate information into the electronic record; monitors pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure; manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues; evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment; and informs team members about shared patients. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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. Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting. Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines. Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff. Ability to provide staff development and training. 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, Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standard Physical Requirements: Work is performed in an office setting and is primarily sedentary. May require lifting and carrying of light loads (e.g. files, records, etc.)

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 Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center 1111 East End Boulevard Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711 US
• Name: Amanda Griffin-Fikes
• Phone: 216-791-2300 X42198
• Email: [email protected]