Advanced Medical Support Assistant (Emergency Medicine Service)
What you'd do
The Primary Purpose of the Position is: The incumbent performs higher level duties of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, and range of variety at least 25% of the time. The Advanced Medical Support Assistant duties cover many administrative patient care and clinical operations functions. The Organizational Location of the Position is: Emergency Medicine Service, Emergency Operations Section; VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS), Dallas, TX.
Major duties
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but are not limited to the following: Responsible for patient intake for the ED verifying benefit eligibility determinations for medical care, identifying information from the patient, and determining the nature of the visit. Ensures that ED complies with agency guidelines and Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). Makes patient appointments in accordance with VA's complex scheduling guidelines. Administratively closes open encounters, and coordinates with providers to ensure that all encounters are closed within 48 hours. Obtains identifying information and nature of the call. Responds to caller's needs with deference to HIPAA and Privacy Act or directs caller to appropriate party. Verifies and collects private insurance information, updates information in the Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) web application, as required. Verifies and collects demographic information and updates VISTA database. Directs Veterans that require means testing to the appropriate location. Coordinates with Eligibility Section and Administrative Officer on Duty (AOD) to facilitate the enrollment of traveling Veterans, non-enrolled Veterans, and humanitarians seeking emergency car. Initiates patient registration to facilitate emergency medical care. Notifies physician of patient's eligibility status and those Veterans who are receiving care at multiple VA facilities. Assists triage nurse in managing the clinic access contingency plan by coordinating with outpatient primary care, walk-in and specialty clinics, making same-day appointments, and providing guidance on specific clinic scheduling guidelines to ensure timely access to care. Monitors patient flow for the clinic through the EDIS web application. Coordinates and monitors the status of lab and imaging orders, room assignments, patient location, and overall length of stay. Engages supervisor when available for assistance and guidance. Oversees the inter-facility transfer process for ED patients and Mental Health patients being seen in the ED. Coordinates with outside external facilities when required services are unavailable or internal capabilities are exceeded. Obtains administrative approval for transfer from transfer coordinator during business hours and from the Administrator on Duty (AOD) after hours. Communicates and coordinates with ambulance vendor to arrange transportation of the patient to the accepting facility including outlining transport requirements and special equipment required as defined by the transferring and accepting physician. Arranges for follow-up appointments by scheduling post-ED follow-up appointments with Veterans' Primary Care provider in accordance with VA Scheduling Directive. Recognizes and deescalates disruptive behavior, elicits cooperation from agitated, combative, disoriented and uncooperative Veterans utilizing creative, advanced, interpersonal skills and persuasive methods that elicits cooperation, restores trust and achieves the desired result of providing appropriate patient care. Resolves customer concerns in person, by phone, and/or letters. Work Schedule: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - both with Saturday. 7:00 am - 7:30 pm and 7:00 pm - 7:30 am. Compressed/Flexible: Compressed Tour (6x 12hrs and one 8 hour shifts in 2 weeks) Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA. Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement). Telework: Not Authorized. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 56054-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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 required. 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: 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. 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 listed above, the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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). GS-6 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level is required. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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. 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. Preferred Experience: Experience working within an Emergency Department setting. Experience working independently as well as collaboratively in a fast paced work environment. Experience working with a diverse Veteran population. Experience working face to face, directly with customers. Experience scheduling patient appointments. Experience adding and retrieving records form Electronic Health Records. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS6. Physical Requirements: The work will be performed in an office/hospital setting with no unique discomforts. Employee works in close proximity to other employees. Work is performed in a clinic responsible for treating patient with a wide variety of medical problems. Lifting to 25lbs;No Lifting (over 25lbs); sitting (7 hours); walking (3 hours); reaching above shoulders (2hours); simple grasping (use of fingers; both hands required, 7 hours); standing (4hours); repeated bending (3 hours); twisting (3 hours); pulling/pushing (over 25lbs); fine manipulation (includes keyboarding 7 hours)
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