Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration; Akron (OH); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

The Veterans Health Administration seeks an Advanced Medical Support Assistant for the Akron VA Clinic in Akron, OH. This position provides technical support to physicians, nurses, and other staff to facilitate patient care and clinic operations.

Applicants pending education or certification may be tentatively selected; full qualifications require high school diploma and U.S. citizenship. GS-06 level, with emphasis on scheduling, care coordination, and effective communication.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of the health care process related to access to care.
• Understanding of interdisciplinary care delivery and patient flow.
• Medical terminology knowledge due to clinical language.
• Ability to collaborate with clinicians across disciplines to meet goals.
• Ability to set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication with internal/external customers.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support that facilitates work of physicians, nurses, and other health care staff.

Skills

Access to care scheduling knowledge

Interdisciplinary coordination

Medical terminology knowledge

Professional communication

Prioritization & organization

Report writing & data presentation

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

This position is located at the Akron VA Clinic (Community Based Outpatient Clinic) in Akron, OH. The Advanced Medical Support Assistant is responsible for performing a variety of technical support duties that facilitate he work of physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nursing assistants, and other members of the medical facility who provide direct patient care.

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

• 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.
• 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 Determinations

• Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
• In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
  • (a) 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.
  • (b) 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.
  • (c) Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
  • (d) 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.
  • (e) Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.
  • (f) 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

None.

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

The work is mostly sedentary. It typically requires sitting with sustained periods of concentration. There will be some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of relatively light objects. The position may also require stooping, reaching, lifting, pulling, and other moderate exertion or strain. Incumbent may occasionally have to walk some distance to a meeting.