The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) is a fundamental role within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) that services as the first line of contact with veterans as they arrive for appointments at the Central Texas VA facilities.

Duties

The AMSA will perform a variety of duties, including but not limited to the following: Understanding a wide variety of subjects regarding the VA while remaining friendly and courteous, regardless of the patient's or visitor's attitude or behavior. Promoting veteran registration for and utilization of MyHealtheVet (MHV), online personal health record for veterans. Performing in-person authentication (IPA) for Veterans requesting initial access to individually identifiable health information within the MHV web-based application. Receiving and routing all Veterans who report to the facilities for scheduled and unscheduled examinations and appointments. Printing the medication reconciliation program, routing slips and confirming with the patient that pre-registration is completed including demographic and insurance information, updating the information as needed. Providing guidance, directions, and instructions to Veterans in relation to their appointments. Scheduling appointment with patient input to reduce no shows. Processing first party requests and ensuring forms are complete and accurate. Receiving outside correspondence, requesting provider's actions for patient care, and forwarding to the appropriate agency for review. Ensuring non-VA records are forwarded to the appropriate provider for review. Scanning and indexing records into the system, on a timely basis and within the established guidelines, while ensuring the proper disposition of documents. Providing a high degree of customer service with tack, poise, and diplomacy in dealing with Veterans who may have multiple health problems in a caring, compassionate, and sensitive manner. Capturing insurance and demographic information on all Veterans, explaining the VA's role in insurance reimbursement. Receives telephone calls and visitor to the VA, (patients, families, and friends of patients) regarding services and requests for changing scheduled appointments. Multi-tasking to perform multiple duties at one time such as accessing the computer system, scheduling the appointment and utilizing multiple software to accomplish tasks related to the Veteran's visit. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 0000/Advanced Medical Support Assistant Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: 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. 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 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). Preferred Experience: Experience with scheduling package for the VA. Experience in medical terminology. Experience in Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) roles and responsibilities. Knowledge of HIPAA, release of information, and other applicable laws and regulations. Ability to use VA programs and software. Must have great customer service skills to address patients and family members. Grade Determinations: Applicant must meet the Basic requirement, the Specialized Experience and demonstrate all the required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities for the position Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-0679-06: Experience. One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level. Qualifying experience includes but may not be limited to: MSA independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. The MSA is responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, rescheduling patient appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources; participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic, monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for appointments. Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.). Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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 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. 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.). References: VA Handbook 5005/117, Part II, Appendix G45, MEDICAL SUPPORT ASSISTANT QUALIFICATION STANDARD, GS-0679. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. 6. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

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/.

Contacts

• Address VA Central Texas Health Care System 1901 Veterans Memorial Drive Temple, TX 76504 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]