Summary This position is located at the Richard L. Roudebush VAMC Indianapolis, IN within the Business Office, Health Administration Service. The Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA Trainer) serves as the technical expert for the coordination and oversight for the Medical Support Assistant training required of all scheduling staff in the medical center. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: Education & Training Stays apprised of the latest national, VISN, and local policies and regulations regarding MSA and scheduling functions. Responds to Action Items that involve scheduling requirements and training from the facility, VISN, and national levels. Trains and provides expert guidance to all employees in the medical center utilizing the technical procedures related to scheduling and other MSA functions including, but not limited to: ICB insurance capture, registration, my HealtheVet, recall, consults, Vetlink kiosks, and reports. Makes recommendations on how to achieve compliance with training requirements and enhance training programs to meet the needs of the organization. Promotes upcoming training sessions and communicates deficiencies to Supervisors, Service Chiefs, Business Managers, and/or medical center leadership as necessary. Works closely with clinical services to ensure compliance with VHA guidance and medical center policy/procedure related to scheduler training and monitoring of technical competence. Organizes, chairs, or participates in multidisciplinary task forces, workgroups, and committees in support of program development and process improvements in the education and training of scheduling practices at the facility, VISN, or national levels. Works with supervisors to review/ensure that all schedulers have appropriate menus to promote accurate scheduling, improve technical competence and minimize potential for negative impact on Veterans caused by scheduling errors. Trains supervisor on how to perform scheduling audits and assists supervisors with scheduling audits when necessary. Performs ADPAC duties with regards to scheduling. Makes consistent and efficient use of Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) scheduling options as well as the current commercial software being used by the facility by ensuring adequate training and oversight scheduling practices. Clinic Functions Receives telephone calls from and responds to veterans, their family members and/or legal representatives regarding a broad range of topics, including: appointment scheduling, medication refills/renewals, basic billing inquiries, and pharmacy processes and procedures. Schedules and reschedules patients for appointments. Processes no shows with appropriate documentation in RMS/DHCP and CPRS. Acts as a point of contact for office through fax, e-mail, phone, mail or other form of communication. Delegates retrieved voicemails to the appropriate person or responds to the message directly as appropriate. Documents telephone call activity in electronic records such that another employee can follow-up on a call at a later time with ease. Seeks assistance from pharmacists or supervisory staff when responding to unusual questions or when reasonable attempts to satisfy a caller have been unsuccessful. Collects and maintains accurate data from each patient. Alerts other staff members of their current appointment availability (whether full or open). Promotes harmonious relationships within the work environment, which supports the needs of the team and the customers. Reviews Encounter Reports when printed by supervisor to make sure that no patient is lost to follow up. Prepares new patient orientation packets. Prints patient appointment lists and encounter forms daily. Obtains missing lab results for patient's charts when necessary. Maintains an adequate supply of cover sheets, travel vouchers, payroll sheets, etc. Sends mail and packages to patients and other locations as needed. Assists veteran in submitting electronic travel pay request during check-in or check-out. Processes refill requests if absolutely necessary (should first attempt to refer to pharmacy triage). Responds to view alerts in CPRS in a timely manner. All other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Available at supervisor discretion. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 91877-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, 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. 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. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: Must have a high school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education. 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: GS7: Experience: Must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to meeting the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) 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. (b) Skill in communicating with individuals to obtain the desired effect and coordinating with a variety of interdisciplinary care team staff. (c) Ability to utilize numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting. (d) Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks/responsibilities in order to meet deadlines. (e) Ability to provide staff development and training. (f) 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: None Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS07. Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary. It typically requires sitting with sustained periods of concentration. There will be some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of relatively light objects. The position may also require stooping, reaching, lifting, pulling, and other moderate exertion or strain. Incumbent may occasionally have to walk some distance to a meeting. 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 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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for 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. 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.
