Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Astoria, OR

12d • Onsite

About The Position

The incumbent serves as a Medical Support Assistant in a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) in the Primary Care Division at the VA Portland Health Care System. The role handles the receipt, intake, and indexing of health and administrative information and uses personal computer applications and numerous Vista applications.

The Medical Support Assistant schedules, cancels, and reschedules appointments; interprets and verifies provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines; monitors the electronic wait list; helps PACT members confirm appointments are checked out or recorded as no-shows; verifies and updates patient demographics; and discusses basic eligibility and co-pays with patients. The incumbent verifies insurance information and updates it using current software, and completes mandatory training for outpatient scheduling.

At the advanced level, the Medical Support Assistant works collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated-care model in a Primary Care setting. The incumbent coordinates with the PACT to review clinic utilization reports, monitors clinic setup to support clinic needs, and coordinates necessary adjustments to provider matrices with supervisors. The role also maintains effective communication with patients, the interdisciplinary team, VA medical centers, and other agencies, including assisting with communications, communicating with non-VA medical facilities, and facilitating or processing secure messages with patients and the team.

The employee plans and organizes work with general supervisory assistance to meet local and VA-wide deadlines for analyses, reports, and special assignments. Non-routine and highly technical problems are referred to the supervisor. The incumbent reports backlogs, deadline difficulties, uncooperative physicians, or challenges obtaining information from clinicians or records, and is responsible for protecting the confidentiality of information.

This is a permanent, non-virtual position at the VA Portland Health Care System. Telework is not available. The work schedule is described as compressed/flexible: No. The full performance level and selection grade are GS-6.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state or territorial proficiency certificate.
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade for GS-6.
• Advanced knowledge of technical health care processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary coordinated-care scheduling and/or care-in-the-community models and patient health care portals.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures for coordinated care and operational activities affecting patient flow and administrative support, including appointment cycles, outside referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, and provider availability.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to accomplish team goals and ensure patient care needs are met.
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines while complying 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, presenting data, and resolving patient concerns.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation or examination and the required background/security investigation.
• Register for Selective Service if applicable to males born after December 31, 1959.
• Complete required online onboarding and application requirements, and participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, during which continued employment is subject to written certification.

Responsibilities

• Schedule, cancel, and reschedule patient appointments in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines and verified provider orders.
• Monitor the electronic wait list.
• Assist PACT members in identifying appointments that are checked out or recorded as no-shows.
• Verify and update patient demographics.
• Discuss basic eligibility and co-pays with patients.
• Verify that patient insurance information is accurate and complete, and update it using current software.
• Complete mandatory training requirements for outpatient scheduling.
• Coordinate with the PACT to review clinic utilization using reports such as the Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary.
• Monitor clinic setup and coordinate necessary provider-matrix adjustments with supervisors to support clinic needs.
• Communicate and coordinate with patients, interdisciplinary team members, VA medical centers, and other agencies, including facilitating or processing secure messaging.
• Organize work to meet deadlines for analyses, reports, and special assignments.
• Report backlogs, deadline difficulties, uncooperative physicians, or difficulties obtaining information from clinicians or records.
• Maintain the confidentiality of information obtained in carrying out duties.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, consisting of 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Highly qualified applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED