Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Joplin (MO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a focused Advanced Medical Support Assistant to operate within the Health Administration Service at the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks, located in Fayetteville, AR, with duties physically performed at the Joplin, MO Community Based Outpatient Clinic.

The role demands expert administrative support across multiple clinics and effective communication within a coordinated care model.

Qualifications

• United States citizenship required.
• High school diploma or GED required.
• Proficient in spoken and written English.
• One year of experience equivalent to GS-05.
• No certification required.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced administrative and patient support in an interdisciplinary care model.
• Coordinate appointment availability and clinic utilization to support multiple clinics.
• Communicate with patient care team and external facilities as needed; prepare correspondence and notify patients of results.
• Assist with follow-up care such as consults and tests and support discharge communications.

Skills

Scheduling expertise

Interdisciplinary care

Medical terminology

Communication with staff

Priority setting

Report writing

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Clinic scheduling systems

Patient portals

Job description

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant is in the Health Administration Service in the Health Adminsitration Service of the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Position(s) are physically located at the Joplin, Missouri Community Based Outpatient Clinic.

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 and Education.
  • (1) Experience. No experience required
  • (2) Education. High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• Certification. None required.
• English Language Proficiency. Medical Support Assistants 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. To qualify for the GS-06 level, your resume must demonstrate you possess the required experience necessary to possess the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) required for the grade. Be specific when describing the job duties that demonstrate you possess the KSAs listed. Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit.

Medical Support Assistant (Advanced), GS-06

(a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level.

(b) Assignment. The Advanced MSA 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. 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. 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.).

(c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, you must demonstrate ALL of the following KSAs in your resume:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.

4. 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.

5. Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines, ensuring compliance with established processes, policies, and regulations.

6. 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-06.

Physical Requirements:

Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment:

Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.