The Lead Medical Support Assistant position is located in the Ambulatory Care Section in the Health Administration Service at the West Palm Beach, Florida VA Medical Center. The duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout the various Primary Care, Specialty Clinics, and Inpatient Wards throughout the entire medical center.

Duties

Major Duties include but are not limited too: Distributes and balances the workload among employees, in accordance with established workflow or job specialization, assuring timely accomplishment of the assigned workload. Monitors the status and progress of work, and makes day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities, obtaining assistance from the supervisor on problems that may arise. Provides on the job training to new employees in accordance with established procedures and practices. Approves leave for a few hours or for emergencies. Reports to supervisor on performance, progress, and training needs of employees. Expert knowledge of basic Medical Support Assistance responsibilities to include scheduling in VISTA, PCE, order entry, navigation of the computerized medical records, the admission and discharge process, the forms necessary to initiate any service, test or procedure and patient privacy issues. Coordinates coverage for assigned clinic and provides coverage for MSAs when necessary. Participates in Performance improvement and strategic planning activities through data collection and report preparation as requested by Supervisor and/or Chief, Ambulatory Care. Enters, manipulates, and/or retrieves information and data from Vista and other Systems as appropriate to area assigned. Schedules and coordinates appointments for patients with various clinics, ensuring all treatment requested by the physician has been scheduled, and reschedules appointments when necessary. Ensures all visitors and telephone calls are handled in a prompt, courteous manner, and appropriate message and referrals are made. Provides information via telephone and in person to the public, members of the professional staff, patients, and other medical center personnel in response to inquiries regarding appointments. Responsible for handling patient complaints and patient advocacy issues for areas assigned. Ensures staff is knowledgeable of the services provided are prepared to furnish accurate information and all clinical guidelines concerning release of information are followed. Maintains computer literacy and knowledge of all computer packages, which are used, in patient care and/or administrative support functions. Performs administrative support for the Supervisor Performs timekeeping functions for MAS personnel in assigned clinic areas. Initiates work orders. Follows through on all problems, which are identified and are within the scope of the position in a timely manner and communicates with the appropriate personnel/service involved. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, from 7:00am to 3:30pm, 7:30am to 4:00pm, and 8:00 am to- 4:30 pm. Will be determined upon entry as per service needs. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 40315F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.). 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 Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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). GRADE REQUIREMENTS: a. 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. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following 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. (c) 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-G45, MEDICAL SUPPORT ASSISTANT, dated August 1, 2019. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary and performed in an office environment. There is an occasional requirement for carrying of light items such as mail, papers, books, and files, and there is frequent bending, stooping, and standing when engaged in filing. Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of this position without hazard to themselves or others.

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 West Palm Beach VA Medical Center 7305 North Military Trail West Palm Beach, FL 33410 US
• Name: Taneisha Robinson
• Phone: 7867059175
• Email: [email protected]