Advanced Medical Support Assistant - Primary Care

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Rochester (MN); On-site; USD 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Federal benefits

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, is seeking an Advanced Medical Support Assistant in the Primary Care Medicine service line. The incumbent helps resolve access, customer service, patient flow, revenue, and data validation issues with clinical and administrative staff.

Responsibilities include coordinating schedules, greeting patients, handling calls, and supporting interdisciplinary care delivery to ensure timely and quality patient care.

Qualifications

• Experience coordinating with clinical staff and scheduling across care delivery models.
• Ability to communicate with internal and external customers professionally.
• Knowledge of scheduling guidelines and patient flow processes.
• Familiarity with VA scheduling directives and patient demographics handling.

Responsibilities

• Greet patients and answer phones, relay messages to staff.
• Schedule, cancel, or reschedule appointments and consultations.
• Monitor appointment requests from multiple sources and update demographics.
• Assist in coordinating transfers to VA facilities or external providers.
• Participate in team huddles and daily operations to optimize patient flow.

Skills

Team collaboration

Prioritization

Communication

Interdisciplinary coordination

Customer service

Education

High School Diploma or GED

One year of experience GS-05 equivalent

Job description

Summary

This Advanced Medical Support Assistant is in the Primary Care Medicine service line at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. The incumbent plays an integral role in identifying and developing ways to resolve problem with the administrative and clinical staff on access - customer service - patient flow - revenue and data validation issues.

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 Duties include - but are not limited to - Works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (i.e
• PACT) and performs receptionist duties - customer service and other duties assigned for the proper and timely treatment of patients and maintains appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinics
• Assist with clinical access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times - location - or dates as well as shift patients to other healthcare providers as conflict with staffing and/or coverage occurs
• Independently manage position responsibilities with little supervision as well as set priorities and deadlines adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs
• Participates in the daily team huddles and weekly team meetings where patient care planning and management occur
• Daily review of active/pending consults - EWL - Recall list and Audiocare communications for accuracy and disposition
• Interprets and applies to a complex body of pertinent laws - regulations - directives - and policies that relate to the administration of VA Healthcare Benefits
• Directs daily work of Clinical Support Section employees in the absence of the supervisor
• Responsible for completion of personnel reports - rosters - and maintenance of supplies and forms
• Requires frequent changes to VHA directives - regulations and local policies and constant coordination to ensure compliance and standardization associated with Advanced Clinic Access principles
• Conduct special audits - studies - or surveys to be utilized in the development of procedures
• Generates patient workload reports for validation and monitors activity in clinical areas to assure consistent and accurate reporting
• Organizes and implements quality assurance monitors
• prepares a wide variety of administrative reports and documents for supervisor and Health Administration Service/Business Office generates patient workload reports for validation and monitors activity to assure consistent and accurate reporting
• Incumbent must be able to interpret and communicate requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities
• The work requires the ability to work in a busy environment - multi-task - lead - and organize a large group of staff in various work areas to produce results - ensure compliance - as well as process and follow-up on a very high volume of phone calls or written requests from patients inquiring about appointments or their status on the waiting list
• Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00pm-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