Medical Support Assistant - Department of Veterans Affairs (Prescott, AZ) in Prescott, Arizona For Sale

Open to US Citizens. Veterans will receive first consideration. Permanent Full Time **Vacancy Identification Number** **(VIN):** xxxx546 **Salary**: Applicant's education and experience will be reviewed by a Professional Standards Board in determining the grade and salary of the applicant selected. The recommended salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy. **OUR MISSION:** To fulfill President Lincoln's promise - "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans? The **Department of Veterans Affairs** (VA) needs employees who possess the energy, compassion, and commitment to serve those who served our Country. Whatever the job title, every position in VA will give you a chance to make a meaningful and personal contribution to the lives of truly special and deserving people - our Veterans. VA professionals feel good about their careers and their ability to balance work and home life. VA offers generous paid time off and a variety of predictable and flexible scheduling opportunities. Working for VA is one of the most emotionally satisfying and professionally rewarding ways to dedicate the best within you to your Country's service. If you are transitioning from the military or a Veteran already, we invite you to explore the benefits of continuing your career at the VA. **_The VA is committed to hiring Veterans._** The VA is much more than just another employer. It is an honorable, open and welcoming community of those who care. Gratitude is our motivation and service is our mission. The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries. The Values are **_I_**ntegrity, **_C_**ommitment, **_A_**dvocacy, **_R_**espect and **_E_**xcellence ("**I CARE**"). **America's Veterans need you!** To find out more, go to You must be a status applicant. A professional standards board may be required. You must be a US citizen You will subject to a background investigation. If selected, you are subject to a pre-employment physical. The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) within this organization is responsible for delivering Administrative support to our staff and supervisors associated with the Mental Health Behavioral Science (MHBS) Programs at Northern Arizona VA Health Care System (NAVAHCS). The Medical Support Assistant will provide reception and support at the front desk by greeting Veterans, assisting to gather information, answering the phone, referring Veterans to appropriate personnel and other duties related to walk in Veterans. The Medical Support Assistant is responsible for administrative activities under the supervision of the Supervisor of Mental Health Behavioral Science (MHBS) programs. Assignments of duties with supplemental verbal instructions will be given by the immediate supervisor initially but then it is expected that the MSA function with little or no supervision. The MSA may seek guidance from the supervisor on site when difficulty is encountered with any assignment however will be expected to problem solve and be able to identify solutions with the assistance of other VA personnel. The Medical Support Assistant performs the duties of a receptionist by answering phones, forwarding phone calls to staff and taking messages for them, greeting Veterans as they enter the Clinic or CBOC waiting area, gathering information from them and assisting them to meet with staff that is able to assist them to meet their needs. Additionally the MSA will monitor clients in the waiting area and insure the safety of staff and Veterans by insuring that Veterans follow the rules and remain in the front service area until escorted inside the staff office area. The MSA assists Veterans that walk into the Clinic or CBOC through Internet searches and information searches to find apartments and jobs as needed when Veterans are unable to use a computer. Generally, using Internet searches, or making telephone calls to gather information, to help them as necessary when their abilities are limited due to mental health, substance use, cognitive impairment, or other limited mental capacities. The MSA rrecognizes the individual's level of understanding and use the most effective means of communication while showing respect and concern for their needs. The MSA monitors and reports issues relating to the safety of staff and Veterans and recognizes reports and assists in emergent and non/emergent situations. The MSA will serve as administrative support by typing and editing correspondences, address mailings, update and type policies and procedure documents, updating CARF manuals, and administratively supporting staff as needed. The MSA will be expected to prepare and type letters to Veterans, MSA will type policy and procedures for employees to follow as directed by supervisor. The MSA also performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: To be determined upon selection. Relocation expenses and/or incentives have not been authorized. Tour of Duty: To be determined upon selection. This position is a bargaining unit position. BASIC REQUIREMENTS. a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook xxxx, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g.) b. Experience and Education (1) Experience. Six months experience of clerical, office or other 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 required. GRADE REQUIREMENTS a. Creditable Experience (1) Knowledge of Current MSA Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as a MSA. (2) Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience at the next lower grade level. 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. (3) Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a MSA is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example, a MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time work week of credit for each 2 weeks of service. b. Grade Determinations. The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. (1) GS-5 MSA (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience or Education. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level or 4 years of education above high school. (b) Assignment. This is the full performance level for MSAs. At this level, the MSA performs a full range of duties. The MSA is responsible for scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient's appointments and/or consults; 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 VA facilities or private hospitals; performing basic eligibility, co-pays and preauthorization requirements for specific coverage (ie, TRICARE, sharing agreements, etc.). (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below: 1. Ability to operate computerized programs and databases in order to enter, modify and retrieve sensitive information/data into or from electronic medical records, scheduling systems and/or reports. 2. Knowledge of basic medical terminology. 3. Ability to make appointments in a clinical setting. 4. Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties, including setting priorities and coordinating work. 5. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with employees at varying grade levels. 6. Ability to identify customer's concerns, perform the tasks required to resolve the issue accurately and timely, and follow-up as necessary to ensure a satisfactory resolution. (2) GS-6 Advanced MSA (a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. (b) Assignment. The Advanced MSA works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (ie, patient aligned care team, or other specialty care setting where the patient aligned care team model is used such as oncology, HIV, SCI, Military Sexual Trauma, etc.). The Advanced MSA coordinates with the patient care team to review the clinic utilization by using various reports (eg, Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary), ensure that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic, and make any necessary adjustments. They develop/maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary team, VA medical centers, and other agencies (eg, assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge; communicate with non-VA medical facilities; facilitate/process secure messaging with the patient and team; notify patients of normal lab results; develop and manage a tracking system for follow up care such as consults, tests, etc.). Other assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: participating in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care; setting 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; monitoring pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (eg, X-ray, lab work); managing electronic wait list to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues; participating and providing input in problem solving on operational issues or procedures in team meetings, performing administrative follow up actions; participating in and independently following up on team huddles by sharing information and collaborating with the medical team to assure continuity of care; evaluating patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether patient is vested; educating providers about shared patients (those who receive their care at multiple VAs or those who have care in the community) and bringing to the attention of the provider. 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. (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate the KSAs below: 1. Ability to collaborate, communicate, set priorities, and organize the work in order to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations. 2. 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 levels. 3. Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process as it relates to access to care. 4. 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. 5. Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with operational activities that affect the patient flow, patient care, and the revenue process. 6. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians. **APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE:** Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the US Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. You can verify accreditation at the following website: All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency. **Veteran's Preference**: When applying for Federal jobs, eligible veterans should claim preference on the Occupational Questionnaire in the section provided and provide a legible copy of DD-214(s) showing all dates of service as well as character of service (honorable, general, etc.). Additionally, veterans with service-connected disability of 10% or more must also submit a copy of their official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, or from a branch of the Armed Forces, certifying their service-connected disability and/or their receipt of compensation for service-connected disability. If the military member is within 120 days of separation and does not yet have a DD214, the member may instead submit any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed. Veterans with service-connected disability of less than 10%, nonservice-connected disability, and Purple Heart recipients, as-well-as those claiming derived preference for a spouse, widow or widower, or natural mother, should refer to and submit a completed SF 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference," and required documentation with your application materials. For more information on Veterans' Preference, go to Complete application packages will be reviewed to determine if the basic qualifications for this position have been met. A listing of candidates who meet the basic qualification requirements will be forwarded to the hiring facility where the credentialing and privileging screening process is completed. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package (See "Required Documents" section below). The
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