Medical Administration Assistant (AOD)

This job opportunity announcement (JOA) will be used to fill four(4) full-time and permanent Medical Administrative Assistant (Administrator Officer of the Day (AOD) vacancy at the Memphis, TN Veteran Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), with Business Office Service.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/22/2024.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the the GS-05. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.In addition to the time in grade requirements listed above, the below experience qualification requirements must be met at the grade in which you are applying.You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
  • Practical and working knowledge of the applicable VA regulations and manuals, directives, public and state laws.
  • Knowledgeable in admissions, discharges, scheduling and all aspects of Outpatient Clinic services and functions, legal detentions, absences, beneficiary travel, patient funds/valuables, release of information, Veterans benefits, community resources, details procedures, medical/dental benefits, and Medical Center operations.
  • Skilled in both administrative and clerical functions, including admission processing, record-keeping, statistical reporting, operating a personal computer and other office machines and equipment.
  • Ability to make decisions and take proper courses of actions on matters not directly involving patient care.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Accident Investigation
• Communications
• Customer Service
• Reasoning
• Standards
• Teamwork
• Technical Competence

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: Although operating from a desk in the admissions area, the AOD is continually required to move about the area in order to make contacts and consult with staff. The AOD must walk throughout the main hospital building, seeking information or addressing administrative matters. The AOD must walk to other building in the medical center. Stairs must be climbed where or when no elevator is nearby or operating and occasionally equipment or other articles have lifted, carried or pushed.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Responsibilities:

The AOD is responsible for all medical-legal administrative functions the Medical Center during irregular hours and as such represents both the Medical Center Director and the Chief, Business Office in this capacity. The AOD maintains the operation of all Business Office activities during these hours, investigates all problems and incidents which may occur during the tour of duty and assumes full administrative responsibility in the event of and emergency or disaster until relieved by the appropriate personnel.Major duties will include but are not limited to:

1. Enters information into VISTA accurately; reports promptly, identifying any negative trends; makes appointments in appropriate clinics and follows the VISN guidelines for scheduling and canceling appointments. Must work in a multi-screen environment, being able to use VISTA and CPRS and Microsoft programs.
2. Performs patient processing activities associated with VA medical benefit programs during irregular tours of duty (e.g.: enrollment, eligibility, verification, beneficiary travel, scheduling, check-in/out, clinic workload, admission/discharge/transfer, compensation and pension, special programs, fee basis, release of information, MCCR, etc.
3. Coordinates tests and procedures that cannot be done at this Medical Center.
4. Interprets a broad range of policies, guidelines and directives, both verbal and written and identify responsible parties for follow up action or communication.
5. Administers proper bed control computer options and arrange for escort of patients to appropriate ward.
6. Performs admissions, discharges, scheduling, beneficiary travel, community bed assignments, death details, and death counseling.
7. Establishes proper priority groups for Veterans. Complete eligibility assessment documents and enter proper financial data in database.
8. Prepares and submits necessary documents for billing purposes for all medical cost recovery cases.
9. Responds to both internal and external customers in a courteous professional manner in all interactions.
10. Communicates both orally and in writing with health care professionals and other medical center personnel and applies proper grammar, vocabulary and spelling.
11. Provides orientation to the physicians regarding VA policies and procedures affecting admissions, treatment and disposition of patients and applicants.
12. Informs and trains irregular tour staff in complex and diverse procedures, concepts, principles and practices.
13. Organizes, plans, set work priorities and meet deadlines while adapting to non-routine variations in workload.
14. Counsels non service connected Veterans and their families to determine their ability to defray cost of medical care.
15. Applies knowledge of a wide range of Medical Center operations and Business Office concepts, principles, administrative functions and practices in order to inform and train staff in complex and diverse procedures.
16. Preforms as a Health Benefits Advisor to determine legal eligibility of applicants for medical benefits and release of medical information.
17. Coordinates administrative matters that arise during irregular tours of duty, i.e, collaborate with Engineering, Laboratory, Radiology, Nursing and Environmental Management personnel, rendering administrative assistance and decisions when required.
18. Manages patient processing activities associated with VA medical benefit programs during irregular tours of duty (e.g.: enrollment, eligibility, verification, beneficiary travel, scheduling, check-in/out, clinic workload, admission/discharge/transfer, compensation and pension, special programs, fee basis, release of information. MCCR)
19. Applies knowledge of Civil Defense program and Medical Center procedures to be followed in case of fire or disaster.
20. Uses a broad knowledge in admission, discharges, scheduling, beneficiary travel, community resources, detail procedures, Compensation & Pension, medical and dental benefits, POW directives and Agent Orange literature.
21. Works independently, using a general understanding of the expected outcomes and the scope of the assignments, and draw upon experience in resolving the more difficult situations which arise.
22. Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Schedule range from Sunday thru Saturday with 2 days off (8 a.m.-4 p.m. (weekends and holidays only), 4 p.m.-Mid, Mid-8 a.m.)
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Position Description/PD#: Medical Administration Assistant (AOD)/PD50230A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required