Advanced Medical Support Assistant (Radiology)

The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System serves veterans across a large geographical area in North Florida (33 counties) and South Georgia (19 counties). In addition to our two medical centers in Gainesville and Lake City, we offer a number of services to our patients in several satellite outpatient clinics and community-based outpatient clinics. The Malcom Randall VA Medical Center (VAMC) is one of two VAMCs in the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System.

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:

(a) United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

(b) Experience and Education.

(1) Experience. Six months experience of clerical, office, [customer service], or other [administrative] work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position;OR

(2) Education. One year above high school;OR,

(3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

(c) Certification. None

Physical Requirements - See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

English Language Proficiency - Medical Support Assistants (MSAs) must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.

Grade Determinations:

GS-06 Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Experience - One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower (GS-05) grade level.

Assignment. The Advanced MSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Work involves specialized administrative judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or care in the community resources. 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 care team 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. MSAs at this level develop and/or maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies (e.g., assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge; communicate with non-VA medical facilities; prepare correspondence to notify patients of normal lab results; manage a system for follow-up care such as consults, tests, etc.). Other assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinates with care team as appropriate; 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; setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs; identifies incomplete encounters and communicates findings to providers; as needed; assists the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions; enters appropriate information into the electronic record; monitors pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure; manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues; 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). For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

GS-06 level Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the required experience, candidates must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities at the GS-06 level:

• 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
• 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

References: VA Handbook 5005/117.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6.

Physical Requirements: The Advanced Medical Support Assistant work is mostly sedentary; however, some walking; standing, and carrying light items are required. Light filing, sometimes involving working close to the floor, is involved. Wrist and back protection can be provided to minimize the risks associated with prolonged use of automated data processing equipment.

Responsibilities:

• The AMSA is responsible for a variety of customer service functions including data entry, data retrieval and records processing.
• Scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments
• The AMSA complies with established business rules to create provider request per radiologist protocol and patient requested visits
• Makes reminder calls and sends appointment letters to veterans.
• Creates CD/DVD for image release, inputs disclosure information
• Entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources.
• Gathers and obtains medical information from patients; request; reviewing electronic health record, obtaining medical records, faxing,
• Participating in huddles with other AMSAs, Lead and Supervisor to determine the daily needs of the facility,
• Monitoring outpatient appointments in area of responsibility; and verifying and updating demographics when contacted by patients.
• Monitors the needs of inpatient and outpatients in the assigned area alerting high level staff with concerns
• Responsible for answering telephone calls, secure messaging, and chat messages, emails
• Greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the facility.
• The incumbent complies with all mandatory training requirements.
• He/she is responsible for verifying and updating demographics and insurance information processing
• The AMSA also elicits information from the veteran necessary to complete Insurance capture
• The AMSA may at times advise the veteran on his/her eligibility for care and provide a meaningful explanation to an ineligible veteran based on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations and applicable law and refers the veteran to an appropriate source for further information when appropriate.
• The incumbent is responsible for reporting backlogs, difficulties in meeting deadlines, uncooperative physicians, or difficulty in securing information from clinicians or the record.
• The incumbent is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of information obtained to carry out required duties.
• He/she is constantly aware of the sensitive nature of the information being communicated or discussed.
• Verifying and updating demographics and insurance information
• Routinely communicates with Radiologist, physicians, and other allied health professional staff using sound interpersonal skills
• Performs duties as assigned to ensure efficient and effective operations.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00a.m. - 4:30p.m.
Compressed/Flexible:No
Telework: No
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #:50229F

Salary : $46,979