Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)-Health Informatics

***KSA Recommendation - 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 (found below) to demonstrate how you have gained each one in your application package or on a supplemental document*** Creditable Experience: 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].

01Basic Requirements

Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). Experience. No experience required. 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 Physical Requirements.

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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). Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) GS-6 This position is above the full performance level for this job series and requires experience beyond the basic requirement for positions in this occupation.

You must meet the basic requirements and the following: REQUIRED EXPERIENCE: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level that equips the candidate with the following: Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients; Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution.

Ability to 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; Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting; Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work; Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers; AND Candidates must be able to demonstrate all of the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities below: 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.

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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 6.

02Physical Requirements

You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional *This position requires the incumbent to physically report to work at either Fort Meade, SD or Hot Springs, SD.

Major duties include, but are not limited to, the following: The work includes functions such as serving as an in initial point of contact for the units, clinics, patients, call centers, CITC to include, but not limited to, scheduling patient appointments, tracking, reviewing, and responding to electronic orders, consults, and other elements in the electronic medical record and medical systems.

This series includes work that requires a practical knowledge of computerized data entry, information processing systems and software related to patient care, the healthcare systems organization and services, basic rules and regulations governing visitors and patient treatment, knowledge of standard procedures, utilizing medical records, and medical terminology.

Coordinates veteran appointments through community vendors utilizing guidance and direction from the veteran's care team to ensure appointments are scheduled accurately, efficiently and within the clinical needs requested by the provider.

Develop and/or maintain effective and efficient communication with the veteran, veteran representatives, interdisciplinary care teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies Processes incoming veteran messages through message manager and care requests, 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 interdisciplinary team; setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs; enters appropriate information into the electronic record; manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues; evaluates and triages scheduling to meet recommendations by clinician in regards to urgency of the referrals.

Customer Service: Greet and check in patients, assist patients with mobile check-in if needed; Gather medical information if needed; Refer patients to appropriate members of health care team as needed; Report backlogs, difficulties in meeting deadlines, uncooperative providers; Document complaints; Ability to identify customer's concerns, perform the tasks required to resolve the issues accurately and timely, and follow-up as necessary to ensure a satisfactory resolution; Resolve difficult problems and diffuse potential dissatisfaction with VA services Performing receptionist duties: Monitor copying and faxing; Answer and route incoming phone calls Maintain Medical Charts: Generate patient workload reports and monitors activity; Serve as a technical advisor and liaison (EHR, Scheduling Package, etc.); Respond to secure messages Administrative duties: Prepare for clinic including printing appointment and clinic lists; Monitor patient demographics; Ensure open encounters are completed; Ensure return to clinics orders are reviewed and completed daily; Consult report reviewed and cleaned up daily; Routinely review of active/pending consults daily; Interpret, verify, and disposition of provider orders; Monitor appointments for area of responsibility; Monitor and review clinic grids with collaboration with providers and supervisors; Assist with clinic access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, locations, or dates; Complete/train/share knowledge of data programs in association with EHR Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Ad-hoc only, per Supervisor's discretion Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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) 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)