Summary The Community Care Department within the Albany VA Medical Center is looking for one (1) Lead Advanced Medical Support Assistant. Responsibilities The Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) performs a variety of administrative functions associated with patient care in the community. In this position the incumbent will serve as the primary trainer for all MSAs assigned to the Community Care department. The incumbent will also be responsible for ensuring timely coordination of patient care in the community. As such, the incumbent must have knowledge of VA policies, regulations, guidelines and processes as they relate to patient scheduling practices, consult management, dialysis contracting, and both inpatient and outpatient authorizations for care. In addition, incumbent must have knowledge of the Community Care, Veteran Care Agreements and the Mission Act programs and processes; as well as an advanced understanding of medical terminology/abbreviations; and must keep abreast of rapidly changing regulations, directives, memorandums, software programs, and processes that are involved in the delivery of the healthcare in the community. As the department Lead, the incumbent must be able to organize work, set priorities, and meet established deadlines. Incumbent must demonstrate advanced technical competency in using the integrated electronic medical record system (to include VistA, CPRS, REFDOCS, and Appointment Management), must be knowledgeable of the Provider Profile Management System (PPMS), Health Share Referral Manager (HSRM), as well as the various software, programs, and policies of the Community Care program contractor. Incumbent must demonstrate excellence in customer service and must have an advanced understanding of the Privacy Act, HIPPA rules/regulations, and the Freedom of Information Act as they relate to the handling of confidential and sensitive patient information. Incumbent must be able to effectively train assigned MSAs, ensuring they are highly proficient, are able to achieve established performance measures, fully comprehend duties and responsibilities, follow established standard work processes within their area, and are in compliance with established policies and regulations. The Lead Community Care MSA must complete and adhere to annual VHA training requirements, have knowledge of quality assurance and performance improvement principles, and ensure these administrative measures are achieved during the performance of their duties. In addition, incumbent must be knowledgeable of Joint Commission requirements specific to his or her job, such as patient rights, emergency preparedness, information security, ethical conduct, and environment of care. Incumbent must possess a thorough knowledge of clinic processes and services and be able to interact with various clinicians and providers throughout the hospital to ensure efficient coordination of patient care in the community. The Community Care Lead MSA must understand local and national scheduling policies, have an exceptional knowledge of consult management, have advanced knowledge of outpatient scheduling, inpatient notifications, creating of both outpatient and inpatient authorizations, contracting of dialysis care, eligibility for care using software and web applications. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21N76-O PLEASE NOTE THIS POSITION IS LOCATED AT AN OFFICE OUTSIDE OF THE ALBANY VA MEDICAL CENTER. PLEASE SEE THE ADDRESS LISTED BELOW. 20 Madison Ave EXT Albany, NY 12203 Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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. 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 Education. One year above high school OR Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. Certification. None required. 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: Lead Medical Support Assistant, GS-7 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level. Assignment. The Lead MSA is responsible for the coordination of Advanced MSA assignments and workflow found in an interdisciplinary unit. The Lead MSA is responsible for daily workload assessments, assigning work, and assuring proper staffing coverage; evaluating training records; and determining training needs of MSAs to provide support across interdisciplinary settings. The Lead assists the unit with complex and non-standard procedures, including clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: ensuring accurate and timely scheduling of appointments; providing guidance to staff members, to include changes in policies and procedures; creating and maintaining employee work schedules; and acting as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: i. 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. ii. Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting. iii. Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines. iv. Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff. v. Ability to provide staff development and training. vi. 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. Preferred Experience: At least two years in the medical field with leadership experience or 3-5 years of experience in the medical field 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-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.j. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.