Summary
This is position is for the VA Salt Lake City, Health Care System, Health Administration Service remote scheduling team. .
The Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) are to ensure the work assignments of the other employees of the team are carried out and to perform a variety of support functions, primarily scheduling appointments in connection with the care and treatment given to patients in all specialty and primary care clinics within the VHA Health Care System and Outpatient Clinics.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
This position is open to the public. Internal Salt Lake City VA employees should apply to the vacancy announcement CBSU-12441882-24-EW.
Duties
The V19 CRH Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) is organizationally located in the V19 Clinical Resource Hub at the Salt Lake VA Medical Center. Incumbent independently acts as the liaison and coordinates all administrative duties related to patient scheduling for the V19 CRH tele-mental health (TMH), tele-primary care (TPC), and telesurgery service (TSS) designated locations. Maintains electronic patient records, verifies providers' orders, and consults, and maintains census and chart records, orders office supplies and telehealth equipment, coordinates internal communications, and troubleshoots equipment. Performs administrative work in support of the care and treatment given to patients via the V19 CRH by providers. Advises on and administers medical record systems or maintains medical records within the program using manual and/or automated systems. Assists with reviewing various scheduling reports in VSSC, implementing corrective action, assists the V19 CRH Business Operation Manager with gathering information for required reports, preparing correspondence, answering inquiries relating to the program, and preparing materials (e.g., graphs, handouts, etc.) for presentations given by the V19 CRH Business Operation Manager. Reviews appointments for completeness of encounter information for workload credit.
The V19 CRH Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) is the chief source of patient flow information for the V19 Clinical Resource Hub. The position typically has responsibility for the overall coordination of the V19 CRH clinics including: clinic cancellations, clinic schedules to include appointment scheduling and changes, arrangements for special studies, appointment check-ins/check-outs, consult tracking, verification of provider's orders and treatment orders, completeness and accuracy of all actions/documentation, and establishment of clinic profiles for providers in coordination with availability of TMH, TPC, and TSS time on the patient side at other VISN 19 sites.
The V19 CRH Lead Medical Support Assistant is accountable for adherence to all organizational and departmental policies, directives, and standards pertaining to all job functions, especially the universal scheduling process, the use of electronic wait lists and the recall system, pre-registration updates, check in/check-out procedures, clinic "clean-up", patient confidentiality and privacy laws, business office policies, and insurance capture. Responsible for scheduling appointments, interpreting, and verifying orders from provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Initiates and relays messages, exchange information, make adjustments in scheduling and perform necessary coordination in carrying out program functions through scheduling, canceling, rescheduling patient appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring the electronic wait list; preparing for clinic visits; monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility; and ensuring encounter completion in order to obtain appropriate workload and reimbursement credit. Reviews patient records and provider orders on a variety of records, and selects, completes, and routes requests for patient activities and treatment procedures to the appropriate source. Schedules patients for follow up visits per providers' orders. Schedules all appointments on the provider side and verifies correctness of appointments scheduled for patients at other sites working closely with MSAs at 57 CBOCs.
Distribute and balance the workload throughout V19 Clinical Resource Hub's designated locations in accordance with established workflow or job specialization, assure timely accomplishment of the assigned workload (including appointments and provider notes) within established timeframes. Directs hospital operations in a contingency/down-time situation.
Multitask in order to work with physicians, nurses, patients, family members, visitors, and other employees. Constantly monitors the status and progress of work, and make day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities, obtaining assistance from the V19 CRH Business Operation Manager on problems that may arise such as backlogs which cannot be disposed of promptly. Together they will brainstorm ideas to meet the demand, e.g., temporarily assigning other providers to assist or recommending the use of Fee Basis so that patients can be treated in the community. Estimate and report on expected time of completion of work and maintain records of work accomplishments and time expended and prepare production reports as requested.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 04:00 pm
Telework: Not Available
Remote: This position is remote
Functional Statement #: 50628-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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.
- 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 a TB test.
- 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.
- Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
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 - Equivalent combination of experience and education.
- 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 3j.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).
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-07. In order to be found qualified for this position, you must possess the following: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6). The required specialized experience for this position must include:
- Works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model;
- Applies 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 to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics, and
- Develop and/or maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies
- Manage a system for follow-up care such as consults, tests, etc.
- Participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage, plan, problem solve, and follow-up with patient;
- Setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs;
- Monitors pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure.
Candidates must also demonstrate the following
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
1. 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.
2. Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.
3. Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines.
4. Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect [and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff]
5. Ability to provide staff development and training.
6. 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.
GS-07 Lead Medical Support Assistant Assignment: The Lead MSA [is responsible for the coordination of Advanced MSA assignments and workflow found in an interdisciplinary unit. The Lead MSA is responsible for daily workload assessments, assigning work, and assuring proper staffing coverage; evaluating training records; and determining training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings. The Lead assists the unit with complex and non-standard procedures, including clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources. Assignments at this level include but are not limited to: ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members, to include changes in policies and procedures; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; and acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts.] 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.
References: VA Handbook 5005/117, PART II, APPENDIX G45
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07.
Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary and requires incumbent to utilize a personal computer resulting in a large amount of keyboarding/data entry. Faxing clinical documentation to the outside providers/vendors at their request during the scheduling/approving process for Fee Basis care. Additionally, lifting and carrying items such as medical records, paperwork, folders and will be required to do tasks that require some fine manipulation skills/abilities. May be required to work many hours at a computer terminal.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
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.
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, resume, 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:
1. Your resume (and/or curriculum vitae) must include the following information for each job listed:
- Job title
- Pay Plan and Grades/Step Held (for Federal positions)
- Duties (Please be as detailed as possible. We recommend that you include information directly related to the position you are applying to. Good examples of pertinent information can be found in the Duties and Qualifications sections of the announcement. If you have performed any of those duties or have any of that experience, we are looking for that on your resume. We make no assumptions regarding experience. It must be on the resume under the position it was performed in at the proper grade level to count towards qualifications.
- Month & year start/end dates (e.g., June 2007 to April 2008)
- Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
2. (If applicable) SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action: Your most current SF-50, if you are a current or former Federal employee (VA or any other Federal Agency) must be provided. Please note the following.
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
- Cover Letter
- DD-214/ Statement of Service
- Disability Letter (Schedule A)
- Disability Letter (VA)
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-15
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
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 06/27/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12444566.
- 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.
|