Lead Medical Support Assistant

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Lead MSAs assist the Supervisor with developing plans for staffing and data transmission. Maintains files necessary for monitoring the processing of consults and appointments. Has working knowledge of access within VA and in the community to schedule patients. Responsible for identifying backlogs in workload and procedural problems by monitoring of activities.

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 :

BASIC REQUIREMENTS.

To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following: 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 assigned to 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.

Note:

This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/placements.

Note:

If a current MSA does not meet the basic requirements, they are covered under the grandfathering provision. However, since this occupation does not require licensure/certification/registration, they may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within this occupation.

Grade Determinations :

Lead Medical Support Assistant, GS-7 In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements outlined above, candidates must possess the required specialized experience and be able to demonstrate all Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) as summarized below.

Experience:

One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 level. (Advising clinical staff on current administrative processes; interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with scheduling guidelines; scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling 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; 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 facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e. sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, employee, etc.) AND, Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities . Candidates must demonstrate[all of] the KSAs below: Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources. Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting. Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines. Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect (and) coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff. Ability to provide staff development and training. Ability to manage staffing requirements, manage workflow priorities, and adjust the flow of work to meet team and patient needs. This includes the ability to follow-up on pending issues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics. 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).

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-7.

Physical Requirements:

The work is mostly sedentary. Occasionally, light physical effort may be required, such as that involved with walking, stair climbing, and carrying of light office items.