Advanced Medical Support Assistant

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Omaha (NE); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking an Outpatient Scheduling Specialist (GS-06) to support appointment access and patient processing at the Omaha VA facility. The role emphasizes scheduling accuracy, coordination with clinicians, and adherence to VA guidelines.

Responsibilities include handling calls, updating demographics and insurance information, and ensuring smooth patient flow across clinics. The position offers standard federal benefits and a Monday–Friday schedule.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Experience in medical scheduling or clinic administration preferred.
• Ability to collaborate with diverse clinical staff and communicate effectively.

Responsibilities

• Schedule, cancel, and reschedule appointments per guidelines.
• Screen calls and greet patients; relay messages to staff.
• Attend huddles and assist with patient care planning.
• Complete daily duties as assigned by supervisor.
• Coordinate administrative services for veterans, families, and staff.
• Maintain patient records and ensure privacy and security.
• Apply VA scheduling directives and policies.
• Prepare workload reports and assist data reporting.
• Protect sensitive data and follow infection control practices.

Skills

Collaboration with clinicians

Communication

Prioritization and organization

Medical terminology

Scheduling across care delivery

Interdisciplinary coordination

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Experience in medical scheduling

Job description

Summary

The Outpatient Scheduling Service AMSA impacts the administrative aspect of patient care including access - scheduling/coordinating appointments using advanced clinic access principles - collecting and updating demographic and insurance information - patient processing and customer service. Responsible for assuring that various aspects of staffing - training - compliance - reporting - quality assurance - and budgetary initiatives are met.

Summary

The Outpatient Scheduling Service AMSA impacts the administrative aspect of patient care including access - scheduling/coordinating appointments using advanced clinic access principles - collecting and updating demographic and insurance information - patient processing and customer service. Responsible for assuring that various aspects of staffing - training - compliance - reporting - quality assurance - and budgetary initiatives are met.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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: Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English
• Education/Experience: Experience
• No experience required
• Education: Must possess a High School Diploma - General Education Development equivalency certificate - or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements - you must meet the grade specific requirement: GS-06: Advanced Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level
• To be creditable - this experience must be equivalent to the next lower grade level - GS-05 - and demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities associated with current MSA responsibilities
• Experience at this level includes - but is not limited to: Advising clinical staff on current administrative processes
• Answering phones - greeting patients - relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit - scheduling - canceling - re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines
• Entering no-show information
• monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources
• participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic - monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility
• verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for appointments
• Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e - TRICARE - sharing agreements - collaterals - research patient - VA employee - etc.).AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• Candidates must also demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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
• 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
• 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
• Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
  

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties include (but not limited to): Schedule - cancel - re-scheduling appointments
• Screen and receive phone calls in a timely manner
• Attend meetings/huddles where patient care planning and management occur
• Completes daily duties assigned and required by supervisor
• Adjust the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs
• Coordinates administrative services for veterans - family members - caregivers - general public and clinical staff
• Receive medical records and follow clinical process to address or handoff
• Develop and maintain effective working relationship with all clinical and administrative staff in support of direct patient care
• Applies all pertinent laws - regulations - directives and policies for VA Healthcare Benefits
• Completes assigned special audits - studies and appropriate data for reporting processes
• Generates patient workload reports for validation and monitors activity in clinical areas
• Interpret and communicate requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives
• Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data
• Demonstrates infection control practices for disease prevention
• i.e
• handwashing - standard precautions - and isolation procedures
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized