Advanced Medical Support Assistant - Access & Office of Community Care

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 38,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organization within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Medical Support Assistant to provide comprehensive administrative support for the Community Care Program. Candidates must possess strong organizational and communication skills, with a focus on patient care coordination and experience in a clinical setting. This position requires the ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment and effectively manage patient inquiries and scheduling across various clinics.

Qualifications

• Ability to communicate effectively with clinicians.
• One year experience as Medical Support Assistant or equivalent.
• Advanced knowledge of health care processes and policies.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate patient care and manage appointments.
• Assist in resolving patient concerns.
• Collaborate with multiple departments for patient support.

Skills

Collaboration

Communication

Organizational skills

Knowledge of medical terminology

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

The employee is responsible for initiating and carrying out a variety of administrative and technical duties in support of the Community Care Program. This person provides administrative coordination of patient care and appointments and logistical factors associated with direct patient care, inpatient and outpatient related to the coordination of care between the Birmingham VAMC and outside facilities, both VA and non-VA.




Duties

Requirements

Qualifications
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 Language Proficiency: MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3j.

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).

Experience or Education

• Experience: 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; OR
• Education: One year above high school (transcript is required with application); OR

• Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.(transcript is required with application);
• Certification: None required

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met:

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-6

(a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level entering, modifying, retrieving sensitive information into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports; scheduling medical appointments in a clinical setting; performing patient support work; providing customer service and identifying patient concerns to ensure satisfactory resolution, and have an advanced level of medical terminology;

(b) Assignment. The Advanced MSA provides 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. Recommends 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 patient, 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.).

(c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, you must demonstrate ALL of the following KSAs in your resume:

1. 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.

2. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.

3. 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.

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. 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.

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

Physical Requirements: The work requires frequent standing bending, reaching and walking. The work requires light lifting and carrying under 15 lbs. Must have full manual dexterity and keyboarding skills. This may be considered demanding physical activity.

VA facilities must make reasonable accommodation for the physical or mental limitations of an applicant or employee who is a qualified person with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the department or agency.