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
• 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
• 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: Advanced Medical Support Assistant, GS6 Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level
• This experience may include but is not limited to
• receive minor and less frequent guidance from higher experienced staff members for more difficult tasks
• Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling and rescheduling patients for treatment
• interviewing patients for appointments
• referring patients to other medical specialty clinics
• providing information to patients necessary to resolve complaints
• interacting with both internal and external customers
• reviewing and documenting medical outpatient and inpatient electronic health records, as well as administrative records
• verifying third party insurance and updating information in the Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) system
• obtaining medical information from patients
• coordinating information and actions related to patient care and services
• and scheduling appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines
• MSAs at this level refer all questions regarding medical attention to the appropriate health care team member
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• At this level, candidates must also demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): (Candidates must demonstrate all KSA's at this 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
• Creditable Experience (1) Knowledge of MSA Practices
• To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting
• Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as an MSA or [an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting
• (2) Quality of Experience
• Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level
• (3) Part-Time Experience
• Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a [non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting] is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek
• For example, an MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• VA Handbook 5005/117 PART II APPENDIX G45 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06.The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-06
• Physical Requirements: The majority of work is performed in an office setting, primarily while seated
• The position requires some standing, ambulation, bending, and carrying of items such as training manuals
• The Advanced MSA is required to sit for long periods of time at a computer terminal typing data while having face to face contact with Veterans and answering the telephone
• In addition, there can be increased stress due to the intensity of a patient/customer complaint or concern.