The Advanced Medical Support Assistant will perform advanced clerical and administrative support duties for the Lung Cancer Screening Program (LCSP) in the outpatient setting. The primary purpose of this position is to provide administrative and technical support to efficiently navigate patients through the LCSP process.

Duties

Major duties include but are not limited to: Employee and support staff are the first line of contact for VA Northern California Healthcare System (VANCHCS). Medical Support Assistants (MSAs) are responsible for ensuring calls received or made by staff are professional, courteous, and tactful in nature, and that responses given are appropriate. Incumbent will be responsible for developing, maintaining and monitoring standards for appropriate responses to patient requests for assistance. Ensures staff is knowledgeable of the services provided and are prepared to furnish information such as, telephone numbers, locations of offices and personnel and clinic hours of operation. Assists with the maintenance and development of various administrative directives using knowledge of the established content and format requirements and the purposes and functions of the organization involved. Plays an integral role in identifying and developing ways to improve the process flow of the LCSP to resolve problems, facilitate patient flow, and collect data. Receives patients via telephone calls and visitors to clinics, as the initial point of contact, ascertaining the nature of the call or visit, obtaining identifying information, and determining the nature and urgency of the patient's request. Applies clinic guidelines concerning release of patient information. Refers patient to appropriate staff member as required. Provides administrative and technical support to the LCSP care team. Provides daily monitoring and assists with oversight of the facility's LCSP platform and related databases. Provides administrative support to track Veterans, coordinate appointments, and facilitate communication for high-risk patients requiring close follow up. Verifies patient's eligibility for treatment. Interviews new patients to the clinic, determining nature of visit and providing information on appointment, clinic hours, and services. Refers urgent messages and patient results for immediate actions. Monitors and communicates delays in scheduled appointments to the appropriate staff and patients. Attempts to resolve complaints of a local administrative nature and refers other complaints to appropriate authorities. Sound judgment is required due to the volume of requests handled daily. Supports activities to identify and verify appropriate patients for lung cancer screening, including obtaining and documenting basic patient demographic information and smoking histories. Collaborates with the Radiology Service to facilitate the efficient scheduling of imaging examinations. Provides information and basic program education to Veterans and families about the LCSP and smoking cessation resources. Acts as a liaison to related services connected to the LCSP, including but not limited to: Radiology, Primary Care, Thoracic Surgery, Oncology/Radiation Oncology departments. Assures adherence to national and facility protocols, procedures and program plans established for lung cancer screening. Participates in multidisciplinary tumor board meeting and other program specific meetings to provide administrative support. Assists the team in compiling statistical patient data from the Lung Cancer Screening database. Maintains all patients' records, either electronic or paper, according to regulation ensuring each entry contains proper patient and health care proper identification. Correctly files original medical documentation in the patient record and copies of medical documentation into research files as necessary. On discharge, transfer, or completion of appointment verifies and assures that the record of the patient treatment is administratively complete. Delivers caring, compassionate communication when interacting with Veterans and their family members both in person and on the phone. Maintain other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full-time, 8am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday (Schedule is subject to change based on the needs of the Agency). Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 612B-XXXXXXX Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. Grandfathering Provision. 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 Determinations: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6 Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: (1) 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. (2) Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations. (3) 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. (4) 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. (5) 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. (6) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians. Preferred Experience: At least 1-2 years of VA MSA experience. References: As outlined in the VA Handbook 5005/117, Part II, Appendix G-45 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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/.

Contacts

• Address VA Northern California Health Care System 10535 Hospital Way Mather, CA 95655 US
• Name: Mari Hartman
• Email: [email protected]