Advanced Medical Support Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Chillicothe (OH); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) at the VA Medical Center. The AMSA handles scheduling per the National Scheduling Directive and will work with PC applications, Vista systems, and Federal EHR to support patient access and care coordination.

The role requires a high school diploma or equivalent, English proficiency, and the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced clinical environment. GS-06 classification applies.

Qualifications

• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• English language proficiency is required.

Responsibilities

• Advanced Medical Support Assistant schedules appointments per the National Scheduling Directive.
• Interfaces with PC applications, Vista applications, and Federal EHR systems.
• Collaborates with medical staff to ensure patient access and flow.

Skills

Scheduling expertise

Interdisciplinary coordination

Medical terminology

Communication

Prioritization & organization

Report preparation & data presentation

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

This position is located in Care Navigation Center, Community Care at the VA Medical Center. The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) performs duties related to scheduling per the National Scheduling Directive and will interface with personal computer (PC) applications as well as numerous Vista applications and Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR).

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.
• Education: High school diploma or transcript (including homeschooling), General Education Development (GED) certificate, Proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education, or post-high school education.
  • Documentation Requirements for Proof of High School Completion or higher: If using post-high school education to substitute for experience at the GS-04 or GS-05, you must submit a copy of your unofficial or official college transcript with your application. If selected, to meet the basic requirement of high school education or equivalent and prior to a firm job offer being extended, applicants must provide one of the following as verification of the education requirement if not covered under the grandfathering provision:
  • Copy of high school diploma OR high school transcript (unofficial or official) OR GED Certificate OR homeschooling completion OR proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education OR college transcript (official).
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06

Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• 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.
• 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.

Reference

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is the GS 6.

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.