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Announcement #878909600

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration · Chicago, Illinois
InternalOpen to the public

What you'd do

This Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) position Located in the Referral Coordination Team within Jesse Brown VAMC. Who is assigned to perform general AMSA duties as a member of a Referral Coordination Team (RCT). RCT AMSAs will schedule VA community care appointments based on Veteran eligibility and preference in a timely manner.

Major duties

The RCT AMSA coordinates and works collaboratively with the referral coordination team, facility community care program, the Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT) and Specialty Care clinicians, and other staff within VA and outside VA. The RCT AMSA is responsible in ensuring accessible care to meet patient needs. Duties Include, but not limited to: The RCT AMSA is responsible for interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines to schedule, cancel, re-schedule patient's appointments and/or consults. The RCT AMSA is responsible for: entering no-show information; monitoring the Unable to Schedule entries, preparing for clinic visits; monitoring outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility; ensuring action required encounters are printed to providers in order to obtain appropriate workload credit. verifying and updating demographics and insurance information; processing all emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals; performing basic eligibility, co-pays and preauthorization requirements. Performs assigned duties in a manner that promotes quality health care, outstanding customer service, and the maintenance of an environment committed to serving the veteran. Reports any backlogs and any difficulties in meeting deadlines. Schedules appointments and manages worklists as outlined in VHA policy Schedules a consult appointment for the patient. Accurately maintains the consult tracking package. Determine Community Care eligibility by running the Decision Support Tool (DST) or through alternative means Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 8:00 am - 5:30pm Telework: NOT AVAILABLE Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 10173F 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: Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.g.). 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 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). IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE, YOU MUST MEET THE GRADE REQUIREMENTS AT THE GS-6 LEVEL TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION. Grade Determinations: GS-6 LEVEL GRADE REQUIREMENTS: The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-6. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Must have at least one (1) full year of experience that is directly related to the duties of a MSA and that equips you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. To be creditable, this experience must be equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-5, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current MSA responsibilities. Experience at this level includes but is not limited to: Advising clinical staff on current administrative processes. Answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources; participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic, monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patient's check-in for appointments. Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.). AND KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: In addition, applicants must demonstrate the following KSAs: KSA-1. Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met. KSA-2. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations. KSA-3. Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels, as well as resolving patient concerns. KSA-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. KSA-5. Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect the patient flow, and patient support care to include, but not limited to appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, provider availability, etc .KSA-6. 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/. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Physical demands do not exceed those of a typical office setting. There may be some walking, standing twisting, turning, sitting, pushing, bending, repetitive keyboarding, or carrying of light items. Some positions may require sitting for long periods of time at a computer terminal typing data while talking on a telephone headset. Work Environment: The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts, which require normal safety precautions. The work requires safe work practices with office equipment, avoidance of trips and falls and observance of fire regulations. The work area is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated. The employee works in a close proximity to patients, and is therefore, exposed to communicable diseases. Some exposure to verbal abuse may be experienced in certain positions.

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