Advanced Medical Support Assistant-Office of Veterans Community Care

Veterans Health Administration • Walla Walla, WA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The AMSA works collaboratively with other members of the expanded health care team including non-VA providers, pharmacists, social workers, dieticians, behavioral health staff and others to provide a robust interdisciplinary approach to care. Important interfaces and collaborations also occur with larger health care systems providers including VA and community specialist, hospitals, diagnostic and treating facilities and community-based programs.

Duties Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties will include, but are not limited to: AMSA receives and processes requests and applications for non-VA treatment. Ensures the legal requirements governing eligibility and entitlement to Fee Basis care are met. AMSA is the first line of support for the GS-05 MSA in comprehension and correct utilization of eligibility benefits. Counsels patients, their families, and agency employees on entitlement to Fee Basis benefits. Interprets Fee Basis policies to patients, their families, agency employees and Veterans organizations. Renders decisions on eligibility for Fee Basis care and reviews requests for care from healthcare providers. AMSA's can do all scheduling and consult functions per VHA National Office of Integrated Veteran Care and local and departmental guidelines. As an Advanced MSA they required the skill set and training to work the more complex requests. Coordinate with Service Chiefs and Service Administrative Officers to review the utilization by using various reports (e.g., Electronic Wait List, Consult Management), ensure the workload management is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic, and make any necessary adjustments. Interpret and communicate requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities. Provide education and training to other MSA staff such as scheduling appointments and utilize Electronic Waiting List accurately and timely, utilize Veterans scheduling input, and to decrease multiple trips for Veteran as much as possible. Follow-up on work in progress or spot check work not requiring review and review completed work to see that the supervisor's instruction on work sequence, procedures, methods, and deadlines have been met. Conduct ongoing reviews to ensure quality of work. Demonstrate the ability to adjust to changes in working conditions in a professional manner, handle differences of opinion in a businesslike fashion, and to function as a team member and leader, helping the group effort to be successful. Understand and implement the process of continuous quality improvement in the workplace. Instruct employees in specific tasks and job techniques and make available written instructions and practices. Orient and provide on the job training for new and current employees. Provide staff developmental and instructional training (e.g. formal, on-line, face-to-face) as needed. Ensure all training requirements are met to include mandatory training requirements.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.
• Driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment effective May 7, 2025.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• Required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period.
• High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-05).
• 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.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines 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.
• Ability to prepare reports in various formats and present data to various organizational levels, as well as resolve patient concerns.

Nice To Haves

• Referral management experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Receives and processes requests and applications for non-VA treatment.
• Ensures the legal requirements governing eligibility and entitlement to Fee Basis care are met.
• Acts as the first line of support for the GS-05 MSA in comprehension and correct utilization of eligibility benefits.
• Counsels patients, their families, and agency employees on entitlement to Fee Basis benefits.
• Interprets Fee Basis policies to patients, their families, agency employees and Veterans organizations.
• Renders decisions on eligibility for Fee Basis care and reviews requests for care from healthcare providers.
• Performs all scheduling and consult functions per VHA National Office of Integrated Veteran Care and local and departmental guidelines.
• Works on more complex requests requiring advanced skill sets and training.
• Coordinates with Service Chiefs and Service Administrative Officers to review utilization using various reports.
• Ensures workload management is closely monitored to effectively support clinic needs and makes necessary adjustments.
• Interprets and communicates requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives and completes accurate scheduling responsibilities.
• Provides education and training to other MSA staff on scheduling appointments, utilizing Electronic Waiting List accurately and timely, and utilizing Veterans scheduling input to decrease multiple trips for Veterans.
• Follows up on work in progress or spot checks work not requiring review and reviews completed work to ensure supervisor's instructions on work sequence, procedures, methods, and deadlines have been met.
• Conducts ongoing reviews to ensure quality of work.
• Demonstrates the ability to adjust to changes in working conditions in a professional manner, handle differences of opinion in a businesslike fashion, and function as a team member and leader.
• Understands and implements the process of continuous quality improvement in the workplace.
• Instructs employees in specific tasks and job techniques and makes available written instructions and practices.
• Orients and provides on-the-job training for new and current employees.
• Provides staff developmental and instructional training (e.g., formal, on-line, face-to-face) as needed.
• Ensures all training requirements are met, including mandatory training requirements.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).
• Federal benefits package including a range of benefits designed to make a federal career rewarding.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED