Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration; Amarillo (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

The Veterans Health Administration is seeking a Clerk in the Communication Center. The incumbent acts as liaison/expeditor between patients and clinical staff, coordinating with VA and non-VA specialists, hospitals, and community programs to ensure smooth patient flow and timely information exchange.

At the GS-06 level, duties include scheduling coordination across interdisciplinary teams, handling patient inquiries by phone and email, and preparing reports as needed.

Qualifications

• One year of clerical or health care scheduling experience.
• Advanced knowledge of health care processes affecting patient flow.
• Ability to communicate tactfully with diverse internal and external customers.
• Capable of prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Serve as liaison between patients and clinical staff to expedite care.
• Coordinate scheduling across interdisciplinary care delivery and community models.
• Support patient access to care and maintain patient communications.
• Prepare reports and present data to organizational levels as needed.

Skills

Communication

English proficiency

Interpersonal skills

Scheduling

Education

High School diploma or GED

Job description

The MSA is a highly specialized position and performs multiple duties. The incumbent serves as a Clerk in the Communication Center. Important interfaces and collaborations also occur with larger health care system providers including VA and non-VA specialists, hospitals, diagnostic and treating facilities, and community based programs. The incumbent will act in the capacity of liaison/expeditor between patients and clinical staff as well as specialty staff and ancillary services.

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 State or territorial-level Board of Department of Education.

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 3.j. 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 experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

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. 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.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06.

Preferred Experience

• 1 year experience working in a clinical environment coordinating clinic schedules for providers (e.g. medical doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists/psychiatrists).
• 1 year experience scheduling patients in a medical appointment software in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model
• 1 year experience with medical terminology in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• 1 year experience managing patient communications in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model (e.g. telephone and/or email).
• 1 year experience with documenting appropriate information into an electronic medical record.

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

Physical Requirements

The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.