New York Seasonal Jobs

Summary This is an open continuous announcement for interested applicants and may be extended or closed as needed, this announcement will be used to fill Advanced Medical Support Assistant positions in the Community Care Department for the Samuel S Stratton VA Medical Center. Please be advised that this position is located at an off-site location in Albany, NY. Qualified applicants will be referred as positions become available starting 11/01/2023 on an as needed basis after that. Responsibilities Duties will include but not limited too: Scheduling: Schedules all Community Care (CC) consults as per VA Regulations and Directives, Office of Community Care(OCC) Field Guidebook (FGB) and local guidance. Assumes responsibility as the CC scheduling point of contact for patients (or their representatives) and providers to clarify questions regarding scheduling and eligibility. Applies scheduling priority guidelines, adheres to CC consult management timeliness metrics. Ensures designation of patient desired in-network community provider and appointment date as appropriate, documents cancellations and no-show of community appointments, refers to RN or MSA as appropriate for rescheduling. Effectively uses Consult Tracking Manager (CTM) to develop and manage tracking needed to ensure timely scheduling, follow-up care and requests for additional service. Completes documentation as per FGB and local policy in the electronic medical record. The incumbent advises the program manager and other VA employees of scheduling difficulties; s/he works with with multiple VAMCs, Referral Coordination Teams, and their clinic counterparts to share information and provide education on current Community Care policies in order to optimize the timeliness of care for VA patients. Coordination of Care: Coordinates outside referral sources in accordance with Third Party Administrator requirements. Detailed knowledge of multiple medical specialties is required to coordinate and schedule care with community providers. Effectively uses Provider Profile Management System (PPMS) when scheduling care in the community. Accommodates patient scheduling requests as appropriate which requires establishing relationships with many community entities. Develops, maintains and routinely updates points of contact list related to individual specialties to include phone and fax numbers for community providers. Ensures community provider receives necessary medical Referral Documents (REFDOC) as required for scheduling care. Enters CC authorization into Health Share Referral Manager (HSRM) database as per FGB and local guidelines; provides written authorization to community provider and patient. Obtains medical records to assist with scheduling or coordination of clinical care. Uploads and/or scans medical records and reports into electronic medical record as necessary, alerts providers and care management team. Develops and maintains effective and efficient communication among the patient, team, expanded team, and the larger VA and community healthcare delivery systems. Has significant responsibilities within this context including coordination and communication during the inpatient and outpatient delivery of care. Maintains communication with the patient, CC team and all providers as necessary. Considerable independent judgment and critical thinking skills are required. Maintains in-depth knowledge and is able to answer questions regarding administrative eligibility criteria for care in the community as per federal law. If not able to address any particular concern, ensures requester is referred to appropriate personnel who can resolve issue. Prepares written correspondence as a means to contact Veterans to obtain information to coordinate care. Fully participates in daily team huddles and weekly meetings where patient care planning and management occur, documents scheduling challenges and alerts team and supervisor. Informs RN of clinical issues. Administrative Support: Collects and reports data to Lead MSA, Administrative Officer and/or Manager relative to scheduling delays and community provider availability. Performs data abstraction for special projects. Assumes responsibility for assisting department staff with backlog as needed. Assists with clerical duties as assigned such as faxing, copying, mail, typing, etc. Assumes responsibility for completing mandatory education requirements. Utilizes information management technologies in an appropriate manner. May be required to enter electronic work orders and electronic computer access requests. Works within scope of responsibility. Promotes action to improve performance within scope of responsibilities. Enhances customer service by responding to customers timely, demonstrating polite, cooperative and respectful behavior. Works with others to accomplish a task or goal and recognizes the interdependence of employees by demonstrating flexibility in work practices, actively supporting group decisions, addressing problems/issues and customer service complaints with supervisor. If not able to address any particular concern, ensures requester is referred to appropriate personnel who can resolve issue. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Functional Statement #: 21N38-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. 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 health evaluation. 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. 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. 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. Grade Requirements: Creditable Experience. 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. 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. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and a range of varieties as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6 Grade Determinations: Experience. One year of experience 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, GS-5.Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirement and the grade requirement, candidates MUST demonstrate/meet all of the KSAs below : 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/117, Part II Appendix G45 This is the full performance level of this vacancy. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Resume Reminder - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible) Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications. Education There is no education substitution at this grade level. 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. 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.