Medical Support Assistant - Advanced

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking an Advanced Medical Support Assistant at the Chalmers P. Wylie VA Medical Center in Columbus, OH.

The A/MSA performs specialized administrative duties to support physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and other clinical staff, enabling smooth patient flow and timely access to care. The role emphasizes coordination across clinics, managing patient information, and maintaining effective communication with the care team to address patient needs and

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of health care processes including scheduling across interdisciplinary care delivery
• Ability to communicate with a wide range of medical staff
• Ability to set priorities and manage deadlines in a clinical environment
• Experience with patient care administrative functions and clinic workflow
• Familiarity with medical terminology used by clinicians

Responsibilities

• Provide specialized administrative support to clinicians and care teams
• Coordinate clinic appointment availability and adjust schedules to meet patient needs
• Prepare correspondence and manage patient communications and follow-ups
• Enter data into electronic health records and assist with patient flow
• Contribute to team huddles and interdisciplinary coordination of care

Skills

Interdisciplinary coordination

Communication

Prioritization

Patient care support

Administrative procedures

Education

High school diploma / GED

Job description

Summary

This position is located in Patient Business Services at the Chalmers P. Wylie VA Medical Center. The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (A/MSA) is responsible for performing a variety of technical support duties that facilitate the work of physicians - physician assistants - nurses - nursing assistants - and other members of the medical facility who provide direct patient care. A/MSAs are considered chief sources of patient care and patient flow information.

Summary

This position is located in Patient Business Services at the Chalmers P. Wylie VA Medical Center. The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (A/MSA) is responsible for performing a variety of technical support duties that facilitate the work of physicians - physician assistants - nurses - nursing assistants - and other members of the medical facility who provide direct patient care. A/MSAs are considered chief sources of patient care and patient flow information.

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
• Experience: None
• Education: High school diploma - General Education Development equivalency certificate - or proficiency certificate from a State of territorial-level Board of Department of Education Licensure/Certification/Registration
• None
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f)
• 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above - the following experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Advanced Medical Support Assistant - GS-06
• Experience
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.
• Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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
• Assignment
• At the advanced level - the Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) (AMSA) performs difficult and responsible 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
• Recommend 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.)
• Other assignments at this level include - but are not limited to: processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinates with care team as appropriate
• participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage - plan - problem solve - and follow-up with patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team
• setting priorities and deadlines - adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs
• identifies incomplete encounters and communicates findings to providers
• as needed
• assists the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions
• enters appropriate information into the electronic record
• monitors pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure
• manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues
• evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment
• informs team members about shared patients (i.e. - those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or those who receive care in the community)
• 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
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for 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.

Duties

• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The A/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
• A/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.)
• Other assignments at this level include but are not limited to processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinates with care team as appropriate
• participates in] team huddles and team meetings to manage - plan - problem solve - and follow-up with] patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team
• setting priorities and deadlines - adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs
• Identifies incomplete encounters and communicates findings to providers
• as needed
• assists the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions
• Enters appropriate information into the electronic record
• monitors pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure
• manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues
• evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether [the patient requires an immediate appointment
• informs team members about shared patients (i.e. - those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or those who receive care in the community)
• Uses word processing software to execute several office automations functions such as storing and retrieving electronic documents and files
• activating printers
• inserting and deleting text - formatting letters - reports - and memoranda
• and transmitting and receiving e-mail
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:0 am - 4:30 pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized 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 #: 91463A - Medical Support Assistant - Advanced/CBSR-13068947-26-JD
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized