Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Amarillo (TX); On-site; USD 39,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is hiring a Medical Administrative Clerk to support the Communication Center and coordinate patient access across interdisciplinary teams. The role interfaces with VA and non-VA providers and staff to expeditiously connect patients with care.

The incumbent will manage appointment scheduling, maintain accurate records, and communicate effectively with clinicians and patients to ensure smooth operations within a busy clinic environment.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED or equivalent required.
• Strong English communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Experience with medical terminology is preferred.
• U.S. citizenship required per VA policy.

Responsibilities

• Front-line contact with patients and staff; set the tone for service quality.
• Schedule appointments and maintain clinic calendars across teams.
• Coordinate with clinicians to ensure timely patient access and flow.
• Enter and verify information in the electronic medical record system.
• Monitor wait lists and recalls; adjust schedules as needed.

Skills

Medical terminology

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Patient 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.

Qualifications

• 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
• Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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
• 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/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06
• 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.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties to include but not limited to: The MSA works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model in PACT - specialty care setting or call center where the patient aligned care team model is used - and may be required to serve on more than one team
• The incumbent 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
• The Incumbent is the front-line contact with patients and staff - the incumbent sets the tone for perception concerning quality of healthcare services at the VA
• He/she must determine the nature of requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes
• A high degree of tact and diplomacy is required when dealing with veterans who have multiple health problems and who may be frustrated with the administrative process associated with diagnosis and treatment
• Responsible for the proper and timely treatment of patients and maintains appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinics
• He/she must review the clinic utilization by using various reports (e.g. - Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary) and assist with clinic 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
• The incumbent will notify his/her supervisor when clinic access is outside established performance guidelines or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled within mandated clinic timeframes and/or by the patient's desired date
• He/she will work with the team to reinforce the plan of care by entering appropriate information into the electronic record (when directed) and through monitoring pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g. - X-ray - lab work)
• The incumbent will schedule appointments in accordance with current established V A/VHA Directives - Handbooks - policies - and procedures
• The incumbent will daily review active/pending consults - Electronic Wait List - and Recall List reports for accuracy and disposition
• All appointments will be made with the patient's input or based on instructions from the clinic provider or other appropriate clinic staff
• This may require a high level of coordination to avoid patients having to make multiple trips to the medical center or clinic whenever possible
• The incumbent is responsible for notifying the provider or other appropriate clinical staff if scheduling instructions are contrary to current established VA/VHA Directives - Handbooks - policies - and procedures
• Scheduling instruction conflicts that cannot be appropriately resolved within teamlet must be elevated to the MSA's supervisor
• Supports patient safety standards using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients through the use of two forms of identification - name and full Social Security Number
• Explains the VA's mandate to collect insurance information for veterans - their families - and other eligible patients
• Duties are continued in the Education Section
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM or 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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: Ad/Hoc telework is available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 54082-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized