Medical Support Assistant - Advanced

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

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Durham, NC, seeks an Advanced Medical Support Assistant to provide expert administrative support within Primary Care.

The role collaborates across interdisciplinary teams and uses various clinical flow processes to ensure timely access to care across clinics and community resources. The position requires high school diploma or GED, strong English proficiency, and ability to handle complex scheduling, patient greeting, and messaging.

Qualifications

• US citizenship required; non-citizens only when VA allows per policy.
• High school diploma or GED is required.
• English language proficiency is required.
• Employees in this occupation must meet the VA qualification standard at entry if applicable.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialized administrative patient support in an interdisciplinary care model.
• Handle scheduling across clinics and coordinate with care teams.
• Greet patients, answer phones, and relay messages to staff.
• Process patient messages via secure portals and ensure proper documentation in CPRS.
• Verify and collect insurance information for revenue processes.
• Assist in training other staff when required.

Skills

Scheduling

Phone etiquette

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Health information awareness

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

CPRS

MyHealthyVet

Job description

Summary

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant - provides specialized and expert administrative patient support within Primary Care 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.

Summary

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant - provides specialized and expert administrative patient support within Primary Care 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.

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 or territorial-level Board or Department of Education
• Licensure/Certification/Registration
• None
• Grandfathering Provision: Grandfathering Provision
• Employees in VHA in this occupation - under a permanent - appropriate - and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard - are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held - including positive education and registration/certification where applicable
• For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed - the following provisions apply: Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation
• NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/ placements
• Foreign Education
• To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials
• Physical Requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f)
• Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) - GS-06: (1) Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-5 Medical Support Assistant grade level
• Duties at this level include but are not limited to performing a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting
• answering phones
• greeting patients
• relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit
• scheduling appointments
• including interpreting and verifying provider orders to schedule within scheduling guidelines
• (2) Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following 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: Physical Requirements: The work performed is predominately clerical in nature and requires no special physical standards
• The work is usually performed in an office setting - working with others and/or alone
• As typical in an office setting - there is the possibility for multiple distractions from normal operating functions and the incumbent is expected to be able to physically perform the duties of the position - aides permitted (which may include walking - sitting - standing - reaching - and bending.) The work may also include the need for light lifting and carrying (under 15 lbs.) of work materials (i.e.: books - binders - papers - etc.)
• 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-6.

Duties

• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo The Advanced 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
• Some of the major duties of this position include - and are not limited to: Processes incoming patient secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinates with care team as appropriate
• Collects - scans - and updates health insurance information serving a major role in the revenue process
• The incumbent(s) contributes to the revenue collection process by identifying patients with third-party insurance
• Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines
• 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
• When records are received - the incumbent(s) will ensure that all necessary health/administrative information are integrated into Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) by sending the documents to scan or performing the function within their area
• Must screen/receive phone calls in a courteous and timely manner - determine the nature of requests and provide the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes
• Interpret and communicate requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities and assist in training other MSA levels - if required
• Coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability
• MSAs who work outside of PACT must be able to interpret and communicate requirements for such areas Care in the Community - Health Benefits - Emergency Room - Ward Administration and any other services with approved MSAs
• Participates in the daily team huddles and/or weekly team meetings where patient care planning and management occur
• Performs other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - Tour of duty can range between 7:00am to 5:00pm - various tour of duty options
• Tour will be identified based on the needs of the service
• Virtual: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station: Not authorized