Advanced Medical Support Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Monterey (CA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

VA Palo Alto Health Care System is seeking an Advanced Medical Support Assistant for the Radiology Service. The AMSA will serve at the front desk, representing the initial patient contact with radiology and helping coordinate imaging appointments and access to care.

The role requires strong communication, organizational skills, and the ability to work within an interdisciplinary team to support efficient patient throughput across clinics.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED equivalency.
• US citizenship is required for employment.
• English language proficiency as mandated by policy.
• No professional licensure or certification is required for this entry-level role.
• Foreign education may be evaluated for creditability if applicable.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate clinic appointment availability to support patient flow.
• Manage patient secure messaging and communications with care teams.
• Enter and maintain accurate information in electronic health records.
• Assist communications during inpatient to outpatient transitions as needed.
• Support multi-clinic access to care and follow-up coordination.

Skills

Coordination skills

Scheduling

Communication

EHR proficiency

Customer service

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant is part of the Radiology Service, located at VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) - Palo Alto Division, VISN 21. As the Customer service representative, AMSA supports the Radiology Service by working at the front desk and representing the first interaction our patients have with the radiology service. The Radiology Service provides diagnostic consultation by means of digital imaging services primarily for health care providers.

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: None.
• Education: High school diploma; General Education Development equivalency certificate or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• Licensure/Certification /Registration: None
• Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service, for requirements.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38U.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

In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified.

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.

• Assignment:
  • For all assignments above the FPLs, the higher-level duties must be of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, 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 At the advanced levels, the Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) (AMSA) performs difficult and responsible specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model Work involves specialized administrative judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics specialties and/or care in the community resources Recommend changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines Expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability (utilization) to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics and makes adjustments as necessary. MSAs at this level develop and/or maintain effective and efficient communication with the patients' interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies (e.g., assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge; communicate with non-VA medical facilities; prepare correspondence to notify patients of normal lab results; manage a system for follow-up care such as consults, tests, etc.).
• Other assignments at this level include but are not limited to:
  • Processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinates with care team as appropriate; participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage plans, problem-solve, and follow up with patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team; setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs; identifies incomplete encounters and communicates findings to providers; as needed; assists the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions; enters appropriate information in to the electronic record; monitors pre-appointment in formation and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure; manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues; evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment; informs team members about shared patients (i.e., those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or those who receive care in the community).

Reference

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-06.

Physical Requirements

The work is primarily sedentary but also requires some standing, walking, bending, lifting, and carrying of light items. The work requires above average agility and dexterity. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.