Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)
What you'd do
The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) works at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System and is organizationally aligned under the Patient Administrative Support Service within Health Administration Service. The position is expected to work closely with all members of the health care team and will receive program direction and guidance from the team's leadership (i.e. MSA Supervisor, section chief, service chief, etc. ) and has full clerical capabilities and responsibilities.
Major duties
Duties include but are not limited to: Receives patients on the unit and initiates the admitting process Routes patients to their destinations Provides telephone assistance, triages telephone calls, gathers demographics, and schedules appointments Schedules outpatient clinic appointments using the Integrated Scheduling Solution (ISS), following nationally established business rules to schedule appointments for Veterans AMSAs assigned to the outbound clinical support (OCS)/call center provide information and resolution to Veterans' requests within scope, use administrative judgment to escalate symptomatic concerns to clinical staff or direct the contact to the appropriate discipline for resolution; screen incoming contacts and independently routes to the appropriate area for resolution; utilize various software, hardware system products, and data portals to transfer and capture information electronically; receive and respond to incoming and outgoing contacts using computerized interfaces and telecommunications hardware and software Participates in data collection efforts put forth by this health care system including processing all encounter forms and audit for accuracy, working closely with providers and bring to their attention errors or discrepancies, generating a daily appointment management report, and capturing patient private insurance information in the system Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 09262-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
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. 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). 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: (1) 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. (2) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re entry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified. Experience: Advanced Medical Support Assistant, GS-06: One (1) year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in Federal service (GS-05). Experience includes: Clinic experience in a hospital or doctor's office setting to include scheduling a high volume of appointments annually. High level customer service skills as evidenced by daily interaction and communication with clinicians, patients, families and coworkers. Evidence of work in a clinic setting with multiple inputs (in person, telephone, instant message communications) that need timely and professional resolution. Evidence of specific computer scheduling programs or software utilized in a clinic or hospital. In addition to 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. Preferred Experience: Proficient in Microsoft Suite (Excel, Word, Teams, Outlook) Proven experience in customer service in a clinical setting Ability to manage large amount of inbound/outbound calls AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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 clinicians. 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. Physical Requirements: The work is performed in an outpatient treatment setting, typically in a front desk environment, and/or call center setting Although the work is typically sedentary, some standing, stooping, reaching and lifting of up to twenty (20) pounds is required. The duties and responsibilities may require some mobility between various clinic areas located in separate building location sites. The employee is required to work with computer equipment at least 75% of the time which impacts on hand and wrist motions.
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