Summary The incumbent serves as a Supervisory Medical Support Assistant within Patient Care Services (PCS) at the Ann Arbor VA Facility. Responsibilities Duties: The Supervisory Medical Support Assistant at this level plans and directs a variety of administrative and clerical duties in support of 24/7 service areas. The direct reports for this supervisor work to support direct patient care areas including but not limited to; the Acute Inpatient Mental Health Unit, Critical Care Units, Community Living Center, Medical/Surgical, and Telemetry Units. Assignments at this level include but may not be limited to: assigning and evaluating the work of subordinate staff; resolving complex problems to ensure that patient services are met; evaluating new products, equipment, and systems in order to make recommendations for improved operations; identifying educational and training needs; making final decisions on selections; evaluating performance; and taking disciplinary action when necessary. The Supervisory Medical Support Assistant is delegated full administrative responsibility for planning and directing the MSA's activities. Supervision. Carries out a full range of administrative and supervisory duties, to include assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendations for awards and advancements. Organizes work, sets priorities, and delegates tasks and responsibilities in order to meet deadlines. Communicates skillfully with individuals in order to obtain the desired effect, while ensuring compliance with established policies and regulations. Manages staffing requirements, manages priorities, and coordinates work in order to complete duties in an accurate and timely manner. Follows up on pending issues while demonstrating an understanding of the impact of work not completed. Provides briefings, orientations, staff development, and training. Resource Management. Manages fiscal matters, forecasts resource and equipment needs, and identifies budgetary needs. Demonstrates Courtesy and Professionalism. Shows courtesy, respect, and a positive attitude toward patients, co-workers, subordinate staff, and the public. Demonstrates ability to collaborate, communicate, set priorities, and organize work in order to meet deadlines and to ensure compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations. Identifies Customers' Concerns. Applies discernment and sensitivity when performing tasks required to resolve issues accurately and timely. Demonstrates advanced knowledge of technical health care processes as they relate to patients' access to care. Collaborates, communicates, and demonstrates customer service and interpersonal skills with all healthcare professionals in order to ensure quality and continuity of care and as well, to ensure compliance with established policies and regulations. Advanced Clinical Support. Demonstrates advanced knowledge of managing care in the community and authoritatively utilizes various reference sources. Makes decisions and empowers others to collaborate in order to resolve problems within a complex systems environment. Applies authoritative knowledge of policies and procedures associated with operational activities that affect community care workflow, patient care, and the revenue process. Operates Computerized Programs. Utilizes computerized programs and databases in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive information and various data into or from electronic medical records, scheduling systems, and/or reporting formats. Maintains patient confidentiality with written and verbal information, per HIPAA requirements. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels. Applies Knowledge of Medical Terminology. Demonstrates advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians in order to be able to communicate effectively with both professional and non-professional employees in a variety of occupations and at various levels of responsibility. Employee Education. Complies with Employee Education requirements by completing mandatory annual assignments through the TMS and complies with any other training or education requirements as determined by the supervisor. Work Schedule: Monday through Sunday, Primarily day shift 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM (hours may vary earlier/later based on operational needs) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 93780-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Qualifications 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. 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. 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 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 a 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. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time work week of credit for each two-weeks of service. Grade Determinations: Supervisory Medical Support Assistant, GS-8 (a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level, leading or supervising MSAs or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting. (b) Assignment. Supervisory MSAs at this level plan and direct programs at medical centers and/or satellite outpatient clinics. They have full responsibility for supervising at least one subordinate MSA team leader, supervisor, or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: evaluating the work of subordinate staff; resolving complex problems to ensure patient services are met; evaluating new products, equipment, and systems to make recommendations for improved operations; identifying educational or training needs; making final decisions on hiring selections; evaluating performance, and taking disciplinary action when necessary. The employee has administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the subordinate lead, supervisor, and MSA's activities. Responsible for extracting and analyzing data to provide reports to senior management in support of tracking measures. 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) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. Ability to provide the full range of administrative and supervisory duties to at least one subordinate MSA supervisor or team leader in a patient support setting which includes assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards and/or advancements. 2. Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with internal and external customers to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensure compliance with established policies and regulations. 3. Ability to provide briefings, orientations, staff development, and training in a patient support setting. 4. Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and identify budget needs. 5. Advanced knowledge of managing or leading patient support staff in a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment. Preferred Experience: Previous customer service and supervisory experience References: VA Handbook 5005/117, Part II, Appendix G45, August 1, 2019.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. Physical Requirements: Work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals and record boxes. Work environment is in an adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated medical facility setting. The work environment involves everyday discomforts or risks that require normal safety precautions. Education There is no education substitution at this grade level. Additional Information 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.
