Medical Support Assistant ( Advanced)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Danbury (CT); On-site; USD 51,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is hiring Advance Medical Support Assistants for the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, including Campuses in Willimantic, Danbury, Winstead, Waterbury and New London.

These Full-Time positions support the Health Administration Section by handling scheduling, patient intake, and clerical duties in a busy clinic environment. Successful candidates will demonstrate strong customer service, proficiency with health-care scheduling tools, and the ability to

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Experience in medical admin or clinic setting preferred.
• Strong customer service and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support within the Health Administration Section.
• Manage clinic appointments and patient scheduling.
• Enter and update patient demographics in VA systems.
• Assist with referrals, pre-registration, and check-in processes.
• Coordinate with multiple clinics and care teams.
• Support daily operations and handle inquiries.

Skills

Customer service

Communication skills

Clinic scheduling experience

Administrative support

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

VISTA scheduling system

VISTA Imaging

Job description

The Advance Medical Support Assistant is part of the Health Administration Section (HAS) of the Business Office Service Line. These 6 positions are located at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System - CBOC Campuses - (2) positions in Willimantic CT - (1) position in Winstead CT - (1) position in Danbury CT - (1) in Waterbury CT and (1) in New London CT. VA Connecticut Healthcare System is an integrated Healthcare System which serves a Veteran population - in Connecticut and Southern New England.

The Advance Medical Support Assistant is part of the Health Administration Section (HAS) of the Business Office Service Line. These 6 positions are located at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System - CBOC Campuses - (2) positions in Willimantic CT - (1) position in Winstead CT - (1) position in Danbury CT - (1) in Waterbury CT and (1) in New London CT. VA Connecticut Healthcare System is an integrated Healthcare System which serves a Veteran population - in Connecticut and Southern New England.

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: 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 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 Determination: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) GS-06: Experience: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in Federal service (GS-05)
• Experience includes: Clinic experience in a hospital or doctor's office setting to include scheduling a high volume of appointments annually
• High level customer service skills as evidenced by daily interaction and communication with clinicians - patients - families and coworkers
• Evidence of work in a clinic setting with multiple inputs (in person - telephone - instant message communications) that need timely and professional resolution
• Evidence of specific computer scheduling programs or software utilized in a clinic or hospital
• In addition to six months experience of clerical - office - customer service - or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position - AND - Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSA): In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of 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
• 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
• 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: Excellent Customer Service - Clerical or Administrative experience and Medical Office experience
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing - bending - reaching - crouching - stooping - stretching - and lifting moderately heavy items such as papers - books - manuals - record boxes and boxes of computer paper
• Computers are used and therefore keyboarding is required
• The work includes walking from area to area when covering other employees
• Applicant may at times be exposed to stressful situations with Veterans
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Duties

• The purpose of this position is to serve as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) at a Medical Center in VISN 1 VA New England Healthcare System
• The incumbent is responsible for a wide range of assignments and provides administrative support to the assigned section
• Work is performed collaboratively in a Interdisciplinary Coordinate Care delivery model (Patient Aligned Care Team or Specialty Care Setting) Duties may include - but are not limited to: Supports clinics regarding clinic profile management
• Appointment management
• Collects and updates insurance information from Veterans - family members and other eligible patients
• Prepares correspondence and memos as needed
• Screens/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner - determine the nature of request and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes
• Ensures data is entered into VISTA accurately and scans documents into VISTA Imaging within 24 hours of entering the data into VISTA if applicable
• Promotes Veterans registration for and utilization of MyHealthyVet (MHV) and kiosks usage
• Follows procedures regarding Community Care referrals
• Serves as the initial point of contact for units - clinics - patients - call centers - Care in the Community regarding various aspects of patient appointments and referrals
• Stocks basic office supplies for the executive suite
• Enters Veterans seeking emergent/urgent care - scheduling appointments accurately
• Pre-Registers Veterans during check-in and utilizing call lists and telephones Veterans before their scheduled visits
• Incumbent updates all patient demographics
• Communicates and interacts with patients in a manner which is appropriate to cognitive - emotional - and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patient
• Assures that all appropriate VA forms are used correctly and regulations followed
• Additional duties or tasks may be assigned by the supervisor to ensure efficient daily operations
• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Work Schedule: Full-Time - 40 Hours a week - Monday-Friday - Various Tours of Duty-(7:30 am - 4:30pm) - (8:00am - 4:30pm)EST
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: FS-F01391 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
• NOTIFICATIONS: This position is in the Excepted Service
• No EDRP/SLRP
• Salary Covered OPM LPS Pay Scale: Willimantic CT-($ 51.429-$66 -857) - Danbury/ Winstead/ Waterbury CT-($53 -512.00 to $69 -565) and New London CT- (51 -235-66 -605) This Position is not covered by a Bargaining Union
• Federal Employees MUST Submit Most Recent SF50 (within a year)
• Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104 (1) and (3)] must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in the other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System
• Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment.