Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Summary

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) is assigned to the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System (VASNHCS) Community Care (CC) Service to perform a full range of duties related to eligibility - preferences - scheduling - provider interaction - and customer service. The Community Care Program serves eligible Veteran populations through community providers in a variety of patient care settings such as emergent - inpatient - outpatient - and extended care.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section A - paragraph 3.g.)
• 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
• Experience: Six (6) 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 (1) 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
• (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)
• You will be rated on the following Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities based on your application for this position: Please make sure that each is addressed in detail in the body of your resume
• GS-6 Grade Determinations: In addition to the Basic Requirements for employment listed above - the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates for Advanced Medical Support Assistant GS-6: Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the MSA GS-5 grade level
• In addition to one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 MSA - candidates must demonstrate all the KSA's below: 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
• Advanced knowledge of the technical healthcare process including - but not limited to - scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community models and patient healthcare 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
• Preferred Experience: 1 year experience navigating electronic medical records system
• 1 year experience providing customer service to internal and external customers in the healthcare field
• Familiarity with medical terminology
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office programs - to include Outlook - Teams - Excel - Word - and SharePoint
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: This is primarily a sedentary position
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
  
  

Duties

• Duties of the position include - but are not limited to: Support the consult teams - by using an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model
• Use advanced interpersonal skills in order to effectively understand patient's needs - assess possible courses of action and take appropriate measures to ensure patient satisfaction
• Demonstrate exceptional interpersonal communication skills and work collaboratively with medical center programs - services and multidisciplinary team members in providing accessibility to care and in meeting patient care needs - both clinical and administrative
• Serve as the coordinator of incoming telephone calls - receiving a wide range of inquiries - utilizing administrative systems knowledge to identify patient/caller needs - practicing independent decision-making - coordinating care needs - assist in scheduling appointments and directing problem resolution as appropriate
• Work closely with CC Nurses and other clinical providers to ensure patients' health needs are met
• Maintain appointment schedules for CC - communicates with CC providers to ensure they accept VA patients and payments - prepare any required pre-appointment documents - schedule the appropriate level of care and document the schedule in the appropriate consult
• Obtain medical documentation from community providers - scans to appropriate consult within the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) and alerts VA providers for continuity of care
• Collaborate with the CC Nurses - Specialty Care teams - and Facility staff for all patient coordination of care issues
• Schedule Veteran appointments with community providers using Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS)/ VA Information System Technology Architecture (VistA) or other software scheduling options
• Utilize a global knowledge base to provide timely and appropriate telephone caller referral and/or problem resolution
• Display a cooperative attitude and will effectively work together to implement the organization's mission and goals
• Protect printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws - Federal regulations - VA statutes and policy - and VHA policy
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Available- Ad Hoc (As determined by office policies) Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: FS# 654-00123-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized