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Position Title
Advanced Medical Support Assistant - Open Continuous Announcement
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CBSR-10937970-21-KDD Opens in new window
Open Period
Thursday, October 15, 2020 to Thursday, September 30, 2021
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Are you currently employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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2. Are you an employee of the facility indicated for this position?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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Preferences
1. Select the locations you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location. (limit characters)
2. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
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Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in a position with VA Northern Indiana Health Care System. We will evaluate your resume and responses to this questionnaire to determine if you are among the best qualified for this position. Your responses are subject to verification and must be fully supported by your resume and supporting documents. Failure to respond to all questions in this assessment will result in an ineligible rating. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. (limit characters)
The assessment part of the questionnaire includes questions about your eligibility and minimum qualifications related to this position. Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your current level of education and/or experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and/or education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task.
 
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Basic Requirements - This section will be used to determine if you possess the basic requirements needed to qualify for a Medical Support Assistant, GS-0679 position. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
1. Applicants must undergo a pre-employment medical examination and be medically suitable to perform the essential duties of the position efficiently and without hazard to themselves and others.
Are you willing to undergo a pre-employment medical examination?
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2. MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005.

Are you able to proficiently speak, read, write, and understand the English Language?
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3. Select the one statement that best describes the education and/or experience that you possess that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of Medical Support Assistant, GS-0679, in the Federal Service. Your resume/application package must support the response you select. If you are basing some or all of your qualifications on education, you must submit a transcript with your application. (limit characters)
GS- 6 Grade Determination - This section will be used to determine if you possess the specialized experience and the knowledge, skills, and abilities to needed to qualify for a Medical Support Assistant, GS-0679-6 position. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
4. Specialized Experience - To qualify at the GS-0679-06 grade level, you must possess one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level. This experience may include but is not limited to the following: Independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. Responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit. Interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national 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 VA facilities or private hospitals. Determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.). Note: Your resume must fully support this experience.

Do you have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5 grade level?
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Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your background and experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task. Your resume must support the response you select. (limit characters)
For each item, select the one response that most accurately describes your current level of experience and capability using the scale below. (limit characters)
5. Do you have the 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? (limit characters)
6. Do you have the ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations? (limit characters)
7. Do you have the 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. (limit characters)
8. Do you have 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? (limit characters)
For each knowledge area, select the one response that most accurately describes your current level of knowledge using the scale below. (limit characters)
9. Do you have 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?
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10. Do you have advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians?
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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) If your resume does not include ALL of the above items, you will not be considered for this position. Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. 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.

Note: Do not include photographs, links to social media such as LinkedIn, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, or personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume.
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CERTIFICATION OF INFORMATION ACCURACY As previously explained, your responses in this Assessment Questionnaire are subject to evaluation and verification. There are specific steps in the selection process designed to verify your responses. Deliberate attempts to falsify information will be grounds for disqualifying you or for dismissing you from employment following acceptance. Please take this opportunity to review your responses to ensure their accuracy. (limit characters)
11. I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information included in this questionnaire is true, correct, and provided in good faith. I understand that if I make an intentional false statement, or commit deception or fraud in this application and its supporting materials, or in any document or interview associated with the examination process, I may be fined or imprisoned (18 U.S.C. 1001); my eligibilities may be cancelled, I may be denied an appointment, or I may be removed and debarred from Federal service (5 C.F.R. part 731). I understand that any information I give may be investigated. I understand that responding "No" to this item will result in my not being considered for this position.
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