Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Summary

This Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) position is located in the Access & Office of Community Care (AOCC) section at the Birmingham VA Medical Center. The primary responsibility of this position is to ensure seamless coordination of patient care and appointments. Occasional travel of up to 25% is required for this position.

Duties

• Thank you for your interest in the Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) position at the Birmingham VA Community Care Service. We will evaluate your application and responses to determine if you are among the best qualified for this position. This is a Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) level and plays a critical role in providing administrative and technical support for the Community Care Program (CC). Major duties include, but is not limited to: Schedules Veteran appointments with community providers using HSRM or other software scheduling options. Uses established business rules to schedule appointments for Veterans which include non- VA clinic visits and consultations. The candidate collaborates, communicates, follows set priorities, and organizes assigned work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies and regulations. Performs difficult and responsible specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Candidate must demonstrate knowledge of the technical health care process as it relates to access to care; communicate with Community Care providers to ensure they accept VA patients and payments. Process consults following the Access and Office of Community Care procedures and guidelines and adhering to VHA Directive 1232, the Field Guidebook, Consult Business Rules SOP, Consult Timeliness SOP, and Minimum Scheduling Efforts SOP. At the advanced level, the employee demonstrates the ability to provide training to new staff onboarding in Community Care by utilizing the shadowing method. Contacts Veterans by telephone to validate consult requests and coordinates appointments with community providers based on the Veteran's preference, as appropriate. Be able to effectively plan, carry out tasks, and handle problems or deviations independently in their daily work assignments. Consistently communicates and treats customers (patients, visitors, volunteers, and all Medical Center staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customers with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday. 8:00am - 4:30pm. Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 62962F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Qualifications

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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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). 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: GS-6. Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-5). Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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. 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-6. Physical Requirements: The work of the positions is primarily sedentary; however, some walking, standing, bending stooping and carrying of small items such as files may be required.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.