Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration; Hibbing (MN); On-site; USD 43,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

The Veterans Health Administration Hibbing VA Clinic in Hibbing, MN is seeking an Advanced Medical Support Assistant. This role serves as the first point of contact for units, clinics, patients and call centers, handling appointment scheduling and order management across electronic medical records.

Ideal candidates will have a high school diploma or equivalent, proficiency in English, and the ability to work with interdisciplinary teams to ensure timely access to care.

Qualifications

• No prior experience required; responsibilities include scheduling, greeting patients, and coordinating with clinical staff.
• Knowledge of health care processes and how to access care across disciplines.
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients and staff, and to manage administrative tasks per VA guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Serve as initial point of contact for units, clinics, patients, call centers, and related stakeholders.
• Schedule patient appointments and track scheduling activities.
• Review, interpret, and respond to electronic orders and consults within the electronic medical record system.
• Greet patients, relay messages to appropriate medical staff, and support front-desk operations.

Skills

Access to care

Interdisciplinary coordination

Medical terminology

Team collaboration

Prioritization & organization

Effective communication

Education

High school diploma / GED

Job description

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant will serve with the Mental Health Service Line at the Hibbing VA Clinic in Hibbing, MN. The work includes functions such as serving as an initial point of contact for the units, clinics, patients, call centers, CITC to include, but not limited to, scheduling patient appointments, tracking, reviewing, and responding to electronic orders, consults, and other elements in the electronic medical record and medical systems.

Basic Requirements

• a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens
• b. Experience. None.
• c. Education. High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• d. Licensure/Certification/Registration. None.
• f. 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.
• g. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
• h. 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-6

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level

Examples of qualifying experience, include but are not limited to, independently performing a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advising clinical staff on current administrative processes. Performing administrative support duties including answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate medical staff inside or outside of the unit, scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.

AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

• (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.

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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-6.