Advanced Medical Support Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; West Haven (CT); On-site; USD 48,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

VA Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven, CT seeks an Advance Medical Support Assistant to support the Health Administration Section. The role involves high-volume appointment scheduling, patient interaction, and coordination with clinicians to ensure timely access and efficient workflow.

Applicants with a high school diploma and strong English proficiency are encouraged to apply. Training will cover medical terminology, scheduling software, and customer service within a hospital setting.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology.
• Experience coordinating care across disciplines.
• High level customer service skills in a clinical setting.

Responsibilities

• Manage high-volume appointment scheduling.
• Coordinate care across interdisciplinary teams.
• Maintain patient records and prepare reports.
• Communicate with clinicians and patients to resolve issues.

Skills

Medical terminology

Scheduling experience

Interdisciplinary coordination

Customer service

Communication skills

Education

High school diploma / GED equivalency

Job description

The Advance Medical Support Assistant is part of the Health Administration Section (HAS) of the Business Office Service Line. This position is located at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System (VACTHCS), West Haven Campus. VA Connecticut Healthcare System is an integrated VA Healthcare system Veteran population served is in Connecticut and Southern New England.

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: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• 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
• 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 Determination

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) GS-06:

Experience

One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in Federal service (GS-05). Experience includes: Clinic experience in a hospital or doctor's office setting to include scheduling a high volume of appointments annually. High level customer service skills as evidenced by daily interaction and communication with clinicians, patients, families and coworkers. Evidence of work in a clinic setting with multiple inputs (in person, telephone, instant message communications) that need timely and professional resolution. Evidence of specific computer scheduling programs or software utilized in a clinic or hospital. In addition to six months experience of clerical, office, customer service, or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position,

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA)

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
7. 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.

Preferred Experience

Excellent Customer Service, Clerical or Administrative experience and Medical Office experience.

Reference

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

Physical Requirements

The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as papers, books, manuals, record boxes and boxes of computer paper. Computers are used and therefore keyboarding is required. The work includes walking from area to area when covering other employees. Applicant may at times be exposed to stressful situations with Veterans. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.