Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

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.

01Basic 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. Physical 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).

02Grade Determinations

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) GS-06: Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-05. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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. 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).

03Preferred Experience

Office and Scheduling experience. Experience scheduling radiology or diagnostic imaging exams is preferred, but not required. 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.

FUNCTIONS Works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model within Radiology/Nuclear Medicine Service, including participation in team huddles to manage, plan, and set priorities and deadlines for scheduling imaging studies. Coordinates with patients, radiologists, technologists, referring service teams, nurses, other VA medical centers, and external agencies.

This includes communication with non-VA medical facilities, notifying patients of pre-appointment requirements, and following up on imaging orders. Monitors pre-appointment requirements to ensure readiness for patient appointment/procedure, including X-ray, lab work, and MRI safety screening. Runs data reports from VistA Radiology Package, Cerner, data dashboards (i.e. power bi) or Fileman to manage radiology scheduling lists.

Validates the accuracy of exams, resolves issues, and ensures disposition of orders as required by policy. Verifies that the pre-procedure workup is complete and meets the requirements before procedures. Evaluates patient information such as lab results and pre-procedure clinical screening for MRI and PET exams. Interprets information to ensure the correct exam ordered by the physician is scheduled accurately.

Participates in team meetings, provides input on operational issues, performs administrative follow-up actions on orders and consults, and educates providers about shared patients. Works collaboratively with the Office of Community Care to schedule radiologic/nuclear medicine procedures performed in the community. Supports patient safety standards by using two forms of identification and ensuring demographic information is updated to reduce returned mail and improve contactability.

Explains the VA's insurance collection mandate, collects, scans, and updates health insurance information, aiding in the revenue process by identifying third-party insurance. Promotes Veteran registration for and utilization of My HealtheVet (MHV). Schedules appointments in appropriate scheduling packages and instructs patients on preparation procedures required before testing. Ensures timely scheduling and meets the clinically indicated date of the provider.

Notifies section personnel about arriving patients and any STAT requests received. Work Schedule: Mon. - Fri. 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized