Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Summary The Salt Lake City VA Health Care System is recruiting for Advanced Medical Support Assistants (AMSA) position in Health Administration Service and Community Care Service at Salt Lake City, Utah. The AMSA is primarily responsible for customer service, scheduling, and administrative support for the assigned clinics/providers and other duties as assigned they relate to care coordination for treatment of patients in the medical center or outpatient clinic. Responsibilities The AMSA performs administrative support functions including scheduling appointments, inbound/outbound phone support, consult review and necessary documentation related to care coordination for treatment of patients in the medical center or outpatient clinics. The Advanced MSA demonstrates strong communication and customer services skills and works closely with all staff members performing the administrative duties essential to support the timely care of patients and support of the service/unit goals. Duties include but are not limited to: Greets and checks patients in/out for appointments. Schedules/Cancels appointments and interprets/verifies provider orders/consults in accordance with VHA Scheduling directives and guidelines. Ensures that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic and makes any necessary adjustments. Develops/maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary team, VA medical centers, and other agencies. Facilitates/processes secure messaging with the patient and team; notifies patients of normal lab results. Develops and manages a tracking system for follow up care such as consults, tests, etc.. Participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care. Sets priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs. May work with the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions and entering appropriate information into the electronic record. Monitors pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g., X-ray, lab work). Monitors orders, consults, recalls to verify and validate accuracy, resolve issues and schedule/disposition as necessary. Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines. Expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Coordinates with the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) or the clinical team within the Specialty they are supporting, to review clinic appointment availability (utilization) to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics and makes adjustments as necessary. Participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage, plan, problem solve, and follow-up with patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team. Enters appropriate information into the electronic record; monitors pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure. Evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment; informs team members about shared patients (i.e., those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or those who receive care in the community) Supports Patient Safety standards using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients and adheres to standards/responsibilities in responding to medical emergencies. Other duties as assigned by MSA Supervisor or Lead MSA. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, TBD Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: #Advanced Medical Support Assistant/53181-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. 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 ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment TB Test. 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. a. 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). b. Experience. None. c. Education. High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education. d. Licensure/Certification/Registration. None. e. 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 reentry. 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). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Advanced Medical Support Assistant, GS-0679-06: In order to be found qualified for this position, you must possess the following: Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05). Examples of experience at the next lower grade must include; Knowledge of medical terminology, scheduling appointments (including interpreting and verifying provider orders), canceling, re-scheduling patient's appointments and/or consults; use of Microsoft Office, entering no-show information; monitoring the electronic wait list; preparing for clinic visits; monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility; ensuring encounter forms are completed in order to obtain appropriate workload credit; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information; processing all emergency and non-emergency transfers to other facilities or hospitals; performing basic eligibility, co-pays and pre-authorization requirements for specific coverage, and other related support work in a health care setting. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below: Ability to collaborate, communicate, set priorities, and organize the work in order to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively, both orally and in writing, in order to meet program objectives. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational level. Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process as it relates to access to care. Advanced knowledge of managing a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment. Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with operational activities that affect the patient flow, patient care, and the revenue process. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians. GS-06 Advanced Medical Support Assistant Assignment: The Advanced Medical Support Assistant works collaboratively with staff at the Medical Center, Contract Vendors, Medical Center affiliates, Community Healthcare Providers, and any Third Party Administrator(s) to coordinate Veteran PACT/SHIP/Specialty Care/Community Care and Choice activities. This coordination involves multi-disciplinary communication and coordination as a member of a cross-functional team. The Incumbent will coordinate and is responsible for all administrative duties associated with the Choice Program and PACT/BHIP/Specialty Care/Community Care Coordination, receives consults via the electronic medical record, coordinates and receives the necessary documentations to facilitate the processing of the consult, ensures that the Veteran receives the appropriate PACT/BHIP/Specialty Care/Community Care appointment and closes out the consult when completed. Provides patients correct instructions on test preparation, diets, and procedural requirements for varying procedures and specialty services specific to each community provider's standard of care which affects the efficiency, accuracy, and acceptability of patient care procedures, processes, and services in the community .Preferred Experience: Knowledge of Microsoft programs including, but not limited to PowerPoint, Word, Teams, and Excel Experience scheduling patients in Clinical Video Telehealth; VA Video Connect and phone clinics Experience scheduling across multiple platforms (GUI, VistA, Telehealth Management Platform) References: VA Handbook 5005/53; Part II, Appendix G45. MEDICAL SUPPORT ASSISTANT QUALIFICATION STANDARD, dated August 1, 2019.For more information on this qualification standard, please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-0679-06 .Physical Requirements: No special physical exertion is required. The work is primarily performed while sitting though some work may require periods of standing. The regular and recurring work of the position involves sitting at a desk, conferences, meetings, etc., and occasional visits to activity work sites. Occasional use of automobile and public conveyances may be required. Education IMPORTANT: If using post-high school education to substitute for experience at the GS-04 or GS-05, you must submit a copy of your unofficial or official transcript with your application.If selected, to meet the basic requirement of high school education or equivalent and prior to a firm job offer being extended, applicants must provide one of the following as verification of the education requirement if not covered under the grandfathering provision: Copy of high school diploma OR high school transcript (unofficial or official) OR GED Certificate OR homeschooling completion OR proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education OR college transcript (official) Additional Information During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.