Job opening: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)
Salary: $48 396 - 62 917 per year
Published at: Feb 23 2024
Employment Type: Full-time
The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) is assigned to the Outpatient Specialty Medicine departments with the Iowa City VA Health Care System at the Iowa City campus. The AMSA coordinates with the patient care team to review the clinic utilization by using various reports, ensure that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic, and make any necessary adjustments.
Duties
Total Rewards of a Medical Support Assistant: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-MSA-VA-Career-Flyer.pdf
Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to:
Participating in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care
Setting priorities and deadlines
Adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs
May work with the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions and entering appropriate information into the electronic record
Monitoring pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g., X-ray, lab work)
Managing electronic wait list to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues
Participating and providing input in problem solving on operational issues or procedures in team meetings, performing administrative follow up actions
Participating in and independently following up on team huddles by sharing information and collaborating with the medical team to assure continuity of care
Evaluating patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether patient is vested
Educating providers about shared patients (those who receive their care at multiple VAs or those who have care in the community) and bringing to the attention of the provider.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Ad hoc telework available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Qualifications
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
a. 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.).
b. 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.
c. Certification. None required.
d. Grandfathering Provision. All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, which are a part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or changed to a lower grade within the occupation.
Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
If an employee who was converted to Title 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
e. 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.
f. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
g. 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.
Grade Determination
GS-06 Advanced Medical Support Assistant: This GS-6 Advanced Medical Support Assistant position is above the full performance level for this job series and requires experience beyond the basic requirement for positions in this occupation.
EXPERIENCE: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level that equips the candidate with the following:
Operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports.
Schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting.
Work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work.
Communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers.
Customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution.
AND
Candidates must be able to demonstrate all of the knowledge, skills and abilities below:
Abilityto 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 organizes 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.
All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) in your application may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA to demonstrate how you have gained each one in your application package or on a supplemental document.
References: See VA Handbook 5005/53, Part II, Appendix G, page II-G45-4 & II-G45-5
Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, however, there may be some walking, standing, bending and transporting items under 20 pounds. Works extensively in the hospital computer system.
Education
IMPORTANT: There is no education substitution for GS-6.
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/.
Contacts
- Address Iowa City VA Health Care System
601 Highway 6 West
Iowa City, IA 52246
US
- Name: Timothy Michael
- Phone: 612-467-5503
- Email: [email protected]
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