This Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) position is in the Health Administration Service with the Mental Health department of the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks (VHSO) located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Position(s) are physically located in Fayetteville, Arkansas and Joplin, Missouri. Select all locations you are willing to consider. Once selected for a specific location as indicated in your application, changes in assigned location after selection will not be considered.

Duties

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. 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. Utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Coordinating with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability and utilization to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics and adjusts as necessary. Maintaining 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. Preparing correspondence to notify patients of normal lab results. Managing a system for follow-up care such as consults, tests, etc. Processing incoming patient secure messaging through HealtheVet and coordinates with care team as appropriate. Participating in team huddles and team meetings to manage, plan, problem solve, and follow-up with patient 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 encounters and communicates findings to providers. Entering appropriate information into the electronic record. Monitoring pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure. Managing patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues. Evaluating patient information and clinic schedule lists 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. Researching reasons for delays in processing Veterans medical care requests, such as bottlenecks and initiates corrective action to alleviate those problems. Maintaining contact with both medical and clerical units to resolve problem areas in administrative aspects in providing medical treatment. Orienting newly assigned physicians, residents and/or interns on administrative matters regarding patient care in accordance with current VA directives, policies, and procedures. Serving as primary contact with medical staff in advising on matters dealing with eligibility determinations. Performing a variety of administrative functions associated with patient care and treatment in one of several clinics performing a variety of medical services. Acquiring knowledge of internal organizational procedures, knowledge of various facility services, knowledge of commonly used medical terminology, abbreviations, and VA acronyms and their meaning. Investigating problems which require special actions such as congressional inquiries, patient abuse cases, and provides findings as appropriate to higher level staff responsible for coordinating the investigation. Reviewing and summarizing problem areas and submits those findings in writing to the supervisor along with recommendations. Conducing and/or coordinating processing times studies as appropriate. Receiving visitors and telephone calls to the clinic regarding the availability of and procedures for performing assistance, and requests for changes in scheduled appointments. Refilling Medications or sending notification to PACT Teams requesting renewals or issues that patient maybe experiencing with medications. Utilizing VSE software to schedule/reschedule, cancel, no shows, or add-on appointments. Running appointment lists daily to provide updated changes within the clinic. Providing expert knowledge of Means Test processes, counseling patients regarding eligibility, co-payments, and other facets of Intake/Access area. Initiating patient appointments through (VSE or CPRS) by use of the scheduling menus to schedule lab, x-ray, and EKG tests with other clinical services, necessary for physician clinics. Work Schedule: Typically, Monday - Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm; May vary based on needs of the service. To be discussed upon call to interview. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 564-00115-F Relocation/Recruitment 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. (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. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

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]