Lead Medical Support Assistant

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is open to all US Citizens (T38 or T5 Direct Hire Authority only) NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

Function 1: Customer Service and Patient Interaction

• Meet the needs of customers (veterans, representatives, visitors, and VA staff) while supporting VA missions.
• Communicate courteously, tactfully, and respectfully with veterans, representatives, visitors, and staff.
• Provide veteran-centered care by emotionally supporting patients and their families and respecting their values and preference.
• Respond to patient inquiries concerning medical, personal, and administrative matters, referring medical
  questions to clinical staff.
• Handle conflict and problems constructively and positively while listening and responding to customer
  concerns.

Function 2: Scheduling and Administrative Support

• Serves as a subject matter expert on scheduling policies and clinical flow processes, ensuring that AMSAs adhere to VHA National Scheduling Guidelines.
• Interview patients to obtain necessary information for appointments and referrals to specialty clinics.
• Verify third-party insurance information, update details in the Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) system, and ensure the accuracy of patient records.
• Perform front desk duties, such as patient check-ins, answering phones, and ensuring the timely relay of messages to clinical staff.
• Coordinate and verify provider orders for patient appointments, including cancellations, no-shows, and rescheduling.

Function 3. Training and Staff Development

• Evaluate the training needs of AMSAs and develop training plans to address identified gaps.
• Lead and deliver training sessions on key administrative processes, patient management systems, and new scheduling policies.
• Mentor and support less experienced AMSAs, helping them develop proficiency in their roles.
• Collaborate with supervisors to monitor trainees' progress and provide feedback to improve performance.
• Ensure that all training records are current and that AMSAs receive the necessary training to perform their duties effectively.

Function 4. Complex Administrative Support and Conflict Resolution

• Assist the clinic with complex administrative procedures, including coordinating clinical flow processes for
  patient access to care across various clinics and community resources.
• Serve as the primary liaison between AMSA staff, patients, and interdisciplinary team members to resolve
  day-to-day conflicts.
• Provide guidance and problem-solving assistance to staff in handling patient issues, appointment scheduling conflicts, and administrative challenges.
• Facilitate communication between AMSAs, patients, and clinical staff to ensure the timely resolution of
  issues that impact patient care.
• Coordinate daily workload assignments, assign tasks, ensure appropriate staffing coverage, and set break schedules.

Function 5. Leadership and Collaboration

• Lead interdisciplinary team huddles and meetings to review scheduling practices, discuss patient care needs, and resolve workload issues.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary staff to ensure scheduling practices align with VA policies and meet patient needs.
• Provide leadership in managing patient systems, ensuring the accuracy of scheduling data and the timely completion of appointments and consults.
• Act as a point of contact for patients receiving care at multiple VA facilities or in the community, coordinating their care plans with the broader care team.

Function 6. Data Analysis and Scheduling Compliance

• Conduct weekly reviews of all scheduling data to ensure compliance with scheduling directives and guidelines.
• Analyze and evaluate data related to return-to-clinic orders (RTC), consults, ICB, VA Online Self-Scheduling, VAOS, No-Later-Than (NLT) appointments, and urgent scheduling needs.
• Identify discrepancies or missed scheduling actions and take appropriate corrective actions to meet VA guidelines.
• Provide feedback and recommendations to improve scheduling efficiency, reduce delays, and address urgent scheduling requirements.

Function 7 Compliance and Information Security

• Ensure compliance with policies for the security of sensitive data, including the Privacy Act of 1974.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure access to sensitive information is limited to authorized staff.
• Report and address any violations of information security in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Use various office automation software (e.g., VISTA, CPRS, ICBWeb, ISS, CTM) to manage patient care. Identify discrepancies or missed scheduling actions and take appropriate corrective actions to meet VA guidelines.
• Provide feedback and recommendations to improve scheduling efficiency, reduce delays, and address urgent scheduling requirements.

Work Schedule: 8:00AM- 4:30 PM, Monday-Friday
Compressed/Flexible:Not Available
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 51654A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorize

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.).
• Experience. None.
• 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.

Grandfathering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/placements.

Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.

Grade Requirements

Creditable Experience

• Knowledge of MSA Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as an MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting.
• Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and a range of varieties as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
• Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, an MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service.

Grade Determinations

In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following education and experience criteria must be met:

Lead Medical Assistant, GS-7

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level.

• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: At this level, candidates must also demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  • 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.
  • Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.
  • Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines.
  • Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff.
  • Ability to provide staff development and training.
  • 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.

Lead Medical Assistant (GS-7) 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visithttps://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7.Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. While working in the clinic, physical demands include walking, getting up and down from sitting to retrieve various items and carrying items such as papers, folders, belongings, etc. Crouching and bending are required to file documents and attend to supply needs. Although constant demands, such as continually ringing telephones and continual work interruptions by staff and patients, sometimes make it very difficult for the medical support assistant to leave the work area for even a short period of time. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)

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. 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 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)
• License
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

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