The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) is a highly specialized position and performs multiple duties. The AMSA may serve as a Clerk in VHA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) or Specialty Care Support Team. The AMSA works at the Lubbock VA Outpatient Clinic at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Amarillo VAHCS.

Duties

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Medical Support Assistant: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-MSA-VA-Career-Flyer.pdf The AMSA: acts in the capacity of liaison/expeditor between patients and clinical staff as well as specialty staff and ancillary services. In both PACT and Specialty Care Support, patient care is delivered in a team based, or "teamlet" model, and PACT principles are fully utilized. Members of the teamlet include the MSA, a Registered Nurse Care Manager, a Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurse and a Primary Care Provider or Specialty Care Provider. The teamlet provides the majority of the healthcare needs for an assigned panel of patients and works collaboratively with other members of an expanded health care primary care team including pharmacists, social workers, dieticians, behavioral health staff, etc., to provide a robust interdisciplinary approach to care. works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model in PACT or specialty care setting where the PACT model is used and may be required to serve on more than one team. independently manages position responsibilities with little supervision as well as set priorities and deadlines adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs. sets the tone for perception concerning quality of healthcare services at the VA. He/she must determine the nature of requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes. A high degree of tact and diplomacy is required when dealing with veterans who have multiple health problems and who may be frustrated with the administrative process associated with diagnosis and treatment. is responsible for the proper and timely treatment of patients and maintains appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinics. reviews the clinic utilization by using various reports (e.g., Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary) and assist with clinic access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, location, or dates as well as shift patients to other healthcare providers as conflict with staffing and/or coverage occurs. notifies his/her supervisor when clinic access is outside established performance guidelines or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled within mandated clinic timeframes and/or by the patient's desired date. works with the team to reinforce the plan of care by entering appropriate information into the electronic record (when directed) and through monitoring pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g., X-ray, lab work). schedules appointments in accordance with current established VA/VHA Directives, Handbooks, policies and procedures. reviews active/pending consults, Electronic Wait List, and Recall List reports for accuracy and disposition dailuy. All appointments will be made with the patient's input or based on instructions from the clinic provider or other appropriate clinic staff. This may require a high level of coordination to avoid patients having to make multiple trips to the medical center or clinic whenever possible. notifies the provider or other appropriate clinical staff if scheduling instructions are contrary to current established VA/VHA Directives, Handbooks, policies and procedures. Scheduling instruction conflicts which cannot be appropriately resolved within teamlet must be elevated to the MSA's supervisor. Duties are continued in the Education section of this announcement. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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: 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. 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. 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. 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: Knowledge of MSA Practices: To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as an MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting. Quality of Experience: Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting] at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and a range of varieties as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) GS-6 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. Specialized experience includes, but is not limited to: performing a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting; advising clinical staff on current administrative processes; 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; scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: i. Ability to collaborate & 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 & nursing staff) to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met. ii. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies & regulations. iii. Ability to communicate tactfully & effectively, electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing, with internal & external customers. This may include preparing reports in various formats & presenting data to various organizational levels, as well as resolving patient concerns. iv. Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process (including, but not limited to, scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery &/or care in the community models & patient health care portals) as it relates to access to care. v. Advanced knowledge of policies & procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery &/or care in the community operational activities that affect patient flow & patient support care administrative functions to include, but not limited to appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, provider availability, etc. vi. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians. Preferred Experience: 1 year experience working in a clinical environment coordinating clinic schedules for providers(e.g. medical doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists/psychiatrists). 1 year experience scheduling patients in a medical appointment software in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. 1 year experience with medical terminology in a interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. 1 year experience managing patient communications in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (e.g. telephone and/or e-mail). 1 year experience with documenting appropriate information into an electronic medical record. References: VA Appendix G45 Medical Support Assistant dated August 1, 2019. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. 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

There is no education substitution at this grade level. Education may still be used to meet the basic requirements for this position.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Duties Continued:

• supports patient safety standards using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients through the use of two forms of identification, name and full Social Security Number. The patient may also present the Veterans Identification Card (VIC) for identification.
• uses each interaction with the patient to validate and update patient demographic information, either in person during check-in or over the phone, to decrease the incidence of returned mail due to incorrect addresses and inability to contact patient by phone due to incorrect number.
• explains the VA's mandate to collect insurance information to veterans, their families, and other eligible patients.
• collects, scans, and updates health insurance information serving a major role in the revenue process.
• contributes to the revenue collection process by identifying patients with third party insurance.
• may also be required to train other MSA levels on the Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) process.
• promotes veteran registration for and utilization of My HealtheVet (MHV).
• ensures that all necessary health/administrative information are integrated into Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) by scanning the documents into the records, when received.
• performs the scanning duties and may be asked to train other MSAs on the process. All documents signed by the provider, nurse or other staff to be given to the patient will be scanned under the miscellaneous tab in the patient's records.
• fully participates in the daily teamlet huddles and weekly team meetings to manage and plan patient care; setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the patient/workflow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs.

Contacts

• Address Thomas E Creek VA Medical Center 6010 Amarillo Boulevard, West Amarillo, TX 79106 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]