Advanced Medical Support Assistant

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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

Experience

None Education. High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education. Licensure/Certification/Registration. None. Grandfathering Provision.

Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification where applicable.

For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: (1) 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. (2) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.

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.

Candidates must demonstrate [all of] the KSAs below:(a) 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. (b) 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. (c) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians. (d) 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. (e) Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations. (f) 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. Assignment. For all assignments above the FPL, the higher-level duties must be of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

At the advanced level, the Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) (AMSA) performs difficult and responsible 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.

Recommend 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.).Other assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinates with care team as appropriate; participates 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; identifies incomplete encounters and communicates findings to providers; as needed; assists the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions; enters appropriate information into the electronic record; monitors pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure; manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues; evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment; informs team members about shared patients (i.e., those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or those who receive care in the community).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

Expertise in scheduling and clinic functions which include demonstrated proficiency with the use of he surgical package software which is designed specifically for data collection for surgical procedures.

Must be able to review patient information and clinic schedule list to determine whether patients are vested, recognizing and educating providers about shared patients (Those who receive their care at multiple VA's or care in the community).Ensure quality assurance for all work produced or completed within OR and referring Surgery Service(s). Effectively integrating and managing the Surgical Package and code manager, designed specifically for the service program at the Salisbury VAMC.

Ability to communicate to communicate tactfully and effectively, both orally and in writing to meet program objectives. Advanced knowledge of of the technical healthcare process as it relates to access to care. Advanced knowledge of managing OR scheduling functions. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with operational support of the operational support of the Operating room, CPRS, VISTA, and appointment. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06.

Physical Requirements

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Duties include but are not limited to: Works in collaboration with Physicians, Nurses and Case Managers to effectively develop OR Schedules, maintain OR scheduling systems, utilization block schedules and constructively identify and resolve scheduling concerns.

Responsible for and exercises extreme attention to detail while working in a fluid-fast paced environment in order to effectively integrate and manage data being submitted into the Surgical Package and Appointment Management, designed specifically for the surgery program at the Salisbury VAMC. Reviews patient information for accuracy and manages associated OR schedule lists.

Elevates any issues regarding patient care, patient scheduling, access issues or Operating Room (OR) functions to Lead OR scheduler and Service Leadership. Performs periodic data & statistical research to draft OR reports and prepares correspondence as needed. Assist in organizing and maintaining pertinent OR data and reports to meet the needs of the Surgery Service as well as the National Surgery Office. Back-up/assist OR schedulers at other locations.

Receives and processes incoming and outgoing OR scheduling correspondence, reports, and other pertinent information. Reviews all materials in relation to need for follow-up actions and general information, in addition, establishes priorities on verbal and written communication requests. Composes and prepares correspondence and reports as well as aids in preparation and submission of necessary information, data, and/or documentation to Service Leadership.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #:659-1208FA Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized