Advanced Medical Support Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Philadelphia (MS); On-site; USD 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The US Department of Veterans Affairs seeks an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (GS-6) for the Community Care Service at the Philadelphia DOW location. This role supports clinical staff by scheduling appointments, greeting patients, handling calls, and processing referrals and provider orders following VA scheduling guidelines.

Responsibilities include coordinating transfers, updating demographics/insurance at check-in, and collaborating with clinicians to ensure timely access to care.

Qualifications

• US Citizenship required (non-citizens only if VA policy allows)
• High school diploma, GED, or state/province proficiency certificate
• Proficient in spoken and written English per 38 USC § 7403(f)

Responsibilities

• Schedule patient appointments, including rescheduling and cancellations, and enter information per scheduling guidelines
• Answer phones, greet patients, relay messages to appropriate staff
• Verify and update demographics and insurance information at check-in
• Coordinate administrative transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals
• Communicate effectively with clinicians and patients to support access to care
• Work in an office setting with clerical duties and patient contact

Skills

Team collaboration

Prioritization

Communication

Interdisciplinary care

Medical terminology

Education

High school diploma / GED

Job description

The position is located in Community Care at the Philadelphia DOW location at 100 S Independence Mall West Philadelphia, PA 19106. This announcement will be used to fill Advanced Medical Support Assistant positions within the Community Care Service as vacancies occur. Selections may be made for up to 90 days after the closing date of this announcement. Applicants will be referred as positions become available.

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, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoke and written English in accordance with 38 USC § 7403(f).

Grade Determinations

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6. In addition to the basic requirements, you must meet the specialized experience for the grade: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level; (At this level, the MSA independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. The MSA is responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults; 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.).)

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Candidates must 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.

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).

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

Physical Requirements

Work is performed in an office setting and is primarily sedentary. May require lifting and carrying of light loads (e.g/files, records etc.). See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.