Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Summary

The VA New Jersey Health Care System is currently recruiting for an Advanced Medical Support Assistant assigned to the Specialty Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) for the Medical Administration Service (MAS) of the VA New Jersey Healthcare System (VANJHS). The VANJHS is comprised of two comprehensive healthcare facilities in East Orange and Lyons, and eleven Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) located throughout the state.

Duties

Major duties include but are not limited to: Participates in daily team meetings where the PACT team consisting of a provider (MD, NP, and/or PA), registered nurse care manager, and an MSA review individual patient requirements and formulates a plan for delivering the optimal level of care in the appropriate setting. Engages proactively with Veterans through multiple avenues to include MyHealtheVet (secure messaging), VetLink, VAOS, recall system or in person. Educates other members of the care team about scheduling protocol. Provides information to and receives patients reporting for scheduled and unscheduled visits. Processes and directs patients in an expedient and efficient manner. Incumbent is also required to administratively screen all Veterans to determine the nature of medical problems and provide administrative assistance as required. The Advanced MSA coordinates with team members to review clinic utilization and ensures that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic, making necessary adjustments as needed. Develops/maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary team, VA medical centers, and other agencies. Maintains effective communication with patients, care teams, VA medical centers, and outside agencies to support continuity of care. Processes secure messaging requests from the patient to the team; notifying patients of normal lab results; developing and managing a tracking system for follow up care such as consults, tests, etc. Tracks follow-up care (e.g., consults, tests); monitors pre-appointment readiness (e.g., X-ray, labs, EKG). Participates in daily huddles and weekly meetings to plan care and adjust workflow. Reinforces care plans and self-help solutions; documents in the electronic record. Performs other duties as assigned. VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Intermittent/Part-time. Work schedule will be discussed during the interview. Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (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: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21W72-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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. 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). 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. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Licensure/Certification/Registration: None. 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 the 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, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified. a. Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06. Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, you must have (1) one year of creditable experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of creditable experience would typically include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, and rescheduling patient appointments and/or consults; 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; and verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients 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 (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) 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. (b) 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 li