Lead Medical Support Assistant

This position is located in the Mental Health, Alexandria VA Health Care System (AVAHCS). This Position provides technical oversight of multiple Advanced Medical Support Assistants (AMSA) (GS-6) as well as support to Outpatient sections of Mental Health. The AVAHCS offers A full range of mental health services for Veterans residing in the South-Central Louisiana area. This includes psychiatry, psychotherapy, and substance use treatment.

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. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education. High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• Certification. None required.
• English Language Proficiency. Medical Support Assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Policy.

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:

Lead Medical Support Assistant, GS-7

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources.
• Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines.
• Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff.
• Ability to provide staff development and training.
• Ability to manage staffing requirements, manage workflow priorities, and adjust the flow of work to meet team and patient needs. This includes the ability to follow-up on pending issues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics.

Preferred Experience: Customer Service, Scheduling, Computer skills.

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-07.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations

Responsibilities:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Ensures quality of MSA work to include accurate and timely scheduling of appointments.
• Orients and provides on-the-job training for new and current LMSAs.
• Ensures all training requirements are met for self and MSA.
• Organizes the work structure of his/her assigned areas.
• Reviews and monitors data to ensure assigned reports are complete and accurate.
• Assigns Mental Health Treatment Coordinators in PCMM per established guidelines and processes clinic grid blocking requests from AMSA staff and providers.
• Collaborates, communicates, and demonstrates customer service and interpersonal skills with all healthcare professionals to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensures compliance with established policies and regulations.
• Schedules appointments including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA National Scheduling Guidelines.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm (subject to change based on facility needs)
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: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00924F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Salary : $417