Advanced Medical Support Assistant

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Flagstaff (AZ); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Federal employee benefits

On-site work

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) to support Clinical Clerical operations within the VHA Patient Aligned Care Team.

The role encompasses handling outpatient charts, coordinating care information, and assisting in interdisciplinary clinic workflows to ensure timely patient access and service delivery. Applicants should meet basic requirements including a high school diploma or GED, English proficiency, and eligibility for federal

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED equivalency required.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English as per VA standards.
• Eligibility criteria for federal employment and VHA qualifications apply.

Responsibilities

• Perform receptionist duties and patient intake in outpatient settings.
• Maintain patient appointment schedules across one or more clinics.
• Validate and update patient demographics and health insurance information.
• Coordinate information and actions related to patient care and services.

Education

High school diploma or GED equivalency

Job description

Summary

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) serves as a Clinical Clerk and is a foundational role within the VHA Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) initiative to include all interdisciplinary clinics and call centers that support the initiative as well as the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).

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

• 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 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)
• Grade Determinations: GS-6: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5)
• The experience includes the following but not limited to: Interacting with both internal and external customers
• Establishing and maintaining medical outpatient and inpatient charts as well as administrative records
• Verifying and updating demographics and insurance information
• Obtaining medical information from patients
• Coordinating information and actions related to patient care and services
• and Scheduling appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs).Candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below: 1
• 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
• 2
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines - ensuring compliance with established processes - policies - and regulations
• 3
• 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
• 4.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
• 5
• 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
• 6
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians
• Assignment
• The Advanced MSA provides 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
• Recommends 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)
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - administrative independence - complexity (difficulty) - 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
• 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)
• 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
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06
• Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting - 15-44 pounds
• Light carrying - under 15 pounds
• Reaching above shoulder
• Use of fingers
• walking up to 1 hour
• Hearing (aid permitted)
• may be working alone and/or working closely with others.

Duties

• 30 Day Hiring Model The Department of Veterans Affairs is implementing a streamlined 30-Day Hiring Model designed to accelerate hiring while maintaining the highest standards of merit-based selection
• This improved process reduces traditional hiring timelines by integrating early coordination - faster assessments - and efficient pre-employment actions
• Applicants can expect a more transparent - predictive - and efficient hiring journey from announcement to entry on duty
• What Applicants Can Expect Expedited Candidate Review Once the announcement closes - Human Resources will quickly review applications - issue certificates of eligible candidates the day after the announcement closes and refer applicants for hiring manager consideration
• Quick Interviews & References HR may arrange interviews and will request references within 3-5 days after being referred to the hiring manager
• Streamlined Pre-Employment Requirements: Following a tentative offer - applicants should be prepared to complete required steps - such as fingerprinting and background check - credentialing - and medical examination within 3 days of the offer
• Clear and Timely Communication: Applicants will receive clear communication at key milestones - including referral - tentative offer - and onboarding instructions
• After meeting pre-employment requirements - candidates will receive a final job offer and start date
• Onboarding tasks may continue after starting - with HR ensuring timely completion for a smooth transition into VA service
• If selected - applicants should be prepared to come onboard within 30 days of the announcement closing
• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELoTotal Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Typical duties include but are not limited to: Performs receptionist duties - customer service and other duties assigned for the proper timely treatment of patients and maintains appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinics
• Serves on more than one PACT or in more than one Specialty Clinic area
• Validates and updates patient demographic information - either in person during check-in or over the phone
• Collects - scans - and updates health insurance information serving a major role in the revenue process
• Endures that all necessary health/administrative information are integrated into Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) by sending the documents to scan or performing the function within their area
• Screens/receives phone calls in a courteous and timely manner - determines the nature of the requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes
• Interprets and communicates requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities and assist in training other MSA levels
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday
• 8:30am - 5:00pm
• 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: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.