Summary This position is located at the Amarillo VA Health Care System, in the Health Administration Service line. The Medical Administration Assistant, also known as Administrative Officer of the Day (AOD), is a 24-hour management position and provides coverage in both the Emergency Department and the Business Office through various shift rotations as assigned. He or She will serve as technical expert providing enrollment and eligibility guidance to patients, facility staff and facility leadership. Responsibilities Non Bargaining-Unit Position Major Duties and Responsibilities: Initiate actions dealing with any disaster situation, in accordance with hospital-wide disaster plan. Responds to emergencies, determines priorities and nature of action to be taken; authorizes services, supplies and personnel: notifies authorities as situation dictates. Implements search plan for missing patient; informs next of kin of search status as appropriate. Interpreting and applying knowledge of regulatory and procedural requirements and exercising independent judgment for unusual and often sensitive and complicated enrollments. Assist families with a Veteran's death, burial and explanation of available benefits. Accurate and complete data collection is essential to proper processing of third-party collection requirements as mandated by law. Work under considerable pressure and plan workload without halting or interrupting the operation as a whole by showing initiative and independent judgment in completing priority tasks. Performs an extremely complex blend of computing technology, medical information, communication skills and leadership qualities in a rapidly changing environment. Processes administrative issues surrounding beneficiary death, seriously ill cases, suicides, assaults, deaths on arrival (DOAs), homicides, code blue, missing patients, cost recovery matters and facility or community disasters etc. Assists staff with medically related legal problems, including involuntary commitments, orders of protective custody, and management of unruly or severely disturbed patients. Prepares daily Gains and Losses sheet and other related statistical reports. Provides compassionate and sympathetic explanation for death and burial benefits to family and next of kin. Releases appropriate information, upon direction, to news media and public in accordance with VA regulations, facility policy and Privacy Act and Information Act requirements. Provides written and oral reporting of incidents involving beneficiaries, employees, as well as safety or other issue. Intervenes when problems regarding patient activity occurs, advising clinical staff of appropriate administrative action. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Medical Administration Assistant/PD00142A, PD00143A, and PD00138A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): 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 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) 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 To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/29/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-05 position time in grade is not required but you must meet experience/education requirements below For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-5 Specialized Experience/Education Requirement Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of a body of standardized rules, procedures, or operations that require considerable training and experience to perform the full range of standard clerical assignments and resolve recurring problems. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have four years of education above the high school level Transcripts Required. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education and experience. Transcripts Required. GS-6 Specialized Experience Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Ability to identify and analyze complex problems or situations with a range of variables. Ability to complete assigned projects, studies, narrative and statistical reports, reviews in a thorough, accurate, and timely manner. Skill in interpreting computer generated reports and understanding data processing capabilities is essential. There is no educational substitution at this grade level. GS-7 Specialized Experience Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Interpreting rules and regulations relating to determining legal entitlement to benefits and facility admissions; Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with patients, relatives, and hospital staff; Oral and written communication skills; Explains and organizes complex issues in writing; Identifies and analyzes complex problems or situations with a range of variables; Completes projects, studies, and reports in an accurate and timely manner; Interprets computer generated reports and understands data processing; and Proficient in utilizing eligibility software. There is no educational substitution at this grade level. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analysis and Problem Solving Veteran and Customer Focus Interpersonal Effectiveness Critical Thinking Health Risk Analysis Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education There is no educational substitution at the GS-6 and GS-7 grade level. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education at the GS-5 grade level. 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/. NOTE. If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. 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. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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.