Summary
The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is recruiting for Medical Support Assistants (Advanced). The Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) will function in Patient Care Administrative Service (PCAS).
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
First consideration will be given to current permanent VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System employees.
Duties
Duties of this position include but are not limited to:
- Schedules patient appointments.
- Coordinates with the patient care team to review the clinic utilization by using various reports (e.g., Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary), ensure that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic, and provides the necessary recommendations to ensure compliance or corrective actions and the appropriate level of access.
- Maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary team, VA Medical Centers, and other agencies (e.g., assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge.
- Communicates with non-VA medical facilities; facilitates/processes secure messaging with the patient and team; notifies patients of appointments.
- Manages a tracking system for follow up care such as Return to Clinic Orders, Recall, consults, tests, etc.).
- Participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care.
- Sets priorities and deadlines, adjusts the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs.
- Works with the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions and enters appropriate information into the electronic record.
- Monitors pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g., X-ray, lab work); manages electronic wait list to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues.
- Participates and provides input in problem solving on operational issues or procedures in team meetings, performs administrative follow up actions.
- Participates in and independently follows up on team huddles by sharing information and collaborating with the medical team to assure continuity of care; evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether patient is vested.
- Educates providers about shared patients (those who receive their care at multiple VAs or those who have care in the community) and bringing to the attention of the provider.
- Plans and organizes work with general assistance from the supervisor as to meet local and VA-wide time frames to complete analysis requirements, reports and special assignments and only refers to the non-routine and high technical problems to his/her supervisor.
- Reports backlogs, difficulties in meeting deadlines, uncooperative physicians, or difficulty in securing information from clinicians or the record.
- Maintains the confidentiality of information obtained to carry out required duties.
- Routinely communicates with physicians, case managers, and other allied health professional staff using sound interpersonal skills and is constantly aware of the sensitive information.
- Works independently making decisions based on guidelines, precedents and regulations and performs duties in such a manner that only minimal supervision is required.
Work Schedule: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
Compressed/Flexible:Not Available
Telework: Hiring Managers may authorize telework for certain positions based on the needs of the service.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Functional Statement #: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) / 91463-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
- Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
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.
- Experience and Education:
1. Experience. Six 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
2. Education. One year above high school;
OR
3. Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are accepted.
All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, [which] are [a] part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
- Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or [changed to a lower grade] within the occupation.
- Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
- If an employee who was converted to [Title] 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
Grade Determinations:
GS-06: Candidates at this grade must have one year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. Examples of this experience include, but are not limited to: operating computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports; knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients; scheduling medical appointments in a clinical setting; working independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work; communicating effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers; and providing customer service and identifying customer concerns and referring to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution.
In addition to the basic qualifications, applicants must also demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- 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 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 clinic
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6.
References: VA Handbook 5005/117 Part II Appendix G45
Physical Requirements: The work of this position is primarily sedentary working closely with others or alone. There may be some walking, standing, bending, kneeling, carrying of light items under 15 pounds, reaching above shoulder, driving an automobile, etc. The work environment typically involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of an office, meeting or training room. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The physical requirements of this position are concerned with the mental/emotional and physical ability of the incumbent to satisfactorily perform the duties of the proposed assignment and may include requisite laboratory and other screening as required by VA Directive 5019.
Education
There are no educational substitutions at the GS-6 level.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
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.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: In addition:
- Resume (when listing previous employment please include month and year).
- If prior military service, include all copies of your DD-214 or proof of service as well as proof of disability, if applicable. You must submit your documentation showing character of discharge.
*If you are a current permanent federal employee, you must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50. *
Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/26/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12385032.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
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