This Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) position is in the Office of Community Care-VISN 16 Assist Team of the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks (VHSO) located in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Duties

The Advanced MSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model on the Office of Community Care, Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks (VSHO), Fayetteville, AR. The duties of the Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) include but are not limited to: Recommending changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines. Coordinating care with community partners, the patient care team, and the Veteran to review clinic appointment availability and utilization to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics and makes adjustments as necessary. Utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple providers and clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Developing and/or maintaining effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery, VA medical centers, and other agencies (e.g., assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge). Communicating with non-VA medical facilities. Preparing correspondence to notify patients of results and manage multiple complex systems for follow- up care such as consults, tests, etc. Processing incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinating with care teams as appropriate. Participating in team huddles and team meetings to manage, plan, problem solve, and follow-up with Veteran care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team. Setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs. Identifying incomplete authorizations and communicating with OCC team and PACT providers; as needed. Entering appropriate information into the electronic record. Entering pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure. Managing VISTA, CPRS, HSRM, and other electronic patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues. Evaluating patient information and clinic schedules to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment. Informing team members about shared patients (i.e. those Who receive their care at multiple VA centers or those who receive care in the community.) Screening new consults for non-VA care for eligibility. Seeking guidance with difficult and more complex consult problems to identify workable solutions. Determining the veteran's eligibility to receive medical services through OCC processes and reviews and updates procedure manuals to maintain knowledge of current procedures and processes. Communicating effectively both orally and in writing. Demonstrating advance knowledge of the technical health care process as it relates to access to care. Assuring authorization is obtained from appropriate service chief for procedures performed at non-VA facilities. Contacting Veterans by telephone to explain pending or new consult request. Ensuring that veteran appointments are made with other VA facility, contract site, or community providers of Veteran's choice as appropriate. Using automated tracking tools as well as computers to perform a wide variety of recordkeeping, correspondence, tracking operations is required. Educating providers and team members about patient's medical care by e-mails, fax, telephone and scanning medical documentation into Veterans' electronic medical records. Supporting the maintenance of electronic databases to track OCC consults. Demonstrating a high level of flexibility, teamwork, and multi-faceted skills by cross training to other areas within OCC to provide coverage as needed. Completing multiple assignments varying in degree of difficulty to ensure patient needs are met, reducing internal transfers, and reducing barriers to unnecessary delays in patient care diversions. Ensuring that all necessary health/administrative information, when records are received, are integrated into Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) by sending the documents to the appropriate department of scanning. Screening/receiving phone calls in a courteous and timely manner to determine the nature of requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes. Work Schedule: Typically Monday-Friday, Hours may vary. To be discussed at interview. Telework: Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 564-00081-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not available. 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. (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. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. Medical Support Assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Policy. Grade Determinations. To qualify for the GS-06 level, your resume must demonstrate you possess the required experience necessary to possess the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) required for the grade. Be specific when describing the job duties that demonstrate you possess the KSAs listed. Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit. Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06 (a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level. To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate in your resume that you have experience that includes: Entering, modifying, retrieving sensitive information into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports; Scheduling medical appointments in a clinical setting; Performing patient support work; Providing customer service and identifying patient concerns to ensure satisfactory resolution; Advanced level of medical terminology. (b) Assignment. The Advanced MSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Work involves specialized administrative judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or care in the community resources. Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines. Expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability (utilization) to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics, and makes adjustments as necessary. MSAs at this level develop and/or maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies (e.g., assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge; communicate with non-VA medical facilities; prepare correspondence to notify patients of normal lab results; manage a system for follow-up care such as consults, tests, etc.). (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, you must demonstrate ALL of the following KSAs in your resume: 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. Preferred Experience: Strong organizational skills with ability to prioritize and manage multiple competing tasks. A high degree of personal and professional accountability, maturity, stability and the ability to function independently and work effectively as a team with internal and external personnel. Ability to adapt to changing work assignments as needed to meet facility needs. Data Management-Uses spreadsheets and databases to complete and track work assignments References:VA Handbook 5005/117 Part II, Appendix G45 VA Qualification Standard for Medical Support Assistant, GS-0679. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items.

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.

Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.

Contacts

• Address Fayetteville AR VA Medical Center 1100 North College Avenue Fayetteville, AR 72703 US
• Name: Corey Noble
• Phone: 228-243-9883
• Email: [email protected]