Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • West Haven, CT

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant is part of the Health Administration Section (HAS) of the Business Office Service Line at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven Campus. The Intake Unit provides eligibility and enrollment services, Veteran Health Identification Card processing, clerical and administrative support to the Emergency Room, Triage and Admission Office, lodging, decedent affairs, means testing, and kiosks. The position provides administrative support for all Intake Unit functions and day-to-day office operations.

The role serves as an initial point of contact for units, clinics, patients, call centers, and Care in the Community regarding appointments and referrals. The incumbent supports clinic profile management; gathers and updates insurance and demographic information; schedules and pre-registers Veterans; handles calls and correspondence; ensures accurate data entry and document scanning; supports Community Care referrals; and promotes use of MyHealthyVet and kiosks. The employee communicates appropriately with adult and geriatric patients and may travel for the position. Work is full-time at the West Haven campus, with a schedule of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 40 hours per week. Telework and virtual work are not available.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated statutory exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state/territorial proficiency certificate.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• One year of experience equivalent to GS-05 in Federal service, including clinic experience scheduling a high volume of appointments; strong customer service and daily communication with clinicians, patients, families, and coworkers; timely resolution of multiple inputs in a clinic setting; and use of clinic or hospital scheduling software.
• At least six months of clerical, office, customer service, or other administrative work demonstrating ability to acquire the required knowledge and skills.
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of healthcare processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary coordinated care, Community Care models, and patient portals.
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of policies and procedures affecting patient flow and administrative support, including appointment cycles, outside referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, and provider availability.
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of medical terminology.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to support team goals and patient care.
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines and comply with processes, policies, and regulations.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively with internal and external customers electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing; this may include preparing reports, presenting data, and resolving patient concerns.
• Valid state driver's license; travel is expected.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical evaluation and background/security investigation, and participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must complete required application steps and an online assessment; selected applicants must complete online onboarding and required employment documentation.
• A one- or two-year trial period is required.

Nice To Haves

• Excellent customer service experience.
• Clerical or administrative experience.
• Medical office experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support for Intake Unit functions and day-to-day office operations.
• Support clinics with clinic profile management.
• Collect and update insurance information from Veterans, family members, and other eligible patients.
• Prepare correspondence and memos as needed.
• Screen and receive phone calls courteously and promptly, determine the nature of requests, and provide appropriate information while following privacy rules and clinic processes.
• Enter data accurately into VISTA and scan applicable documents into VISTA Imaging within 24 hours of data entry.
• Promote Veteran registration for and use of MyHealthyVet and kiosks.
• Follow procedures for Community Care referrals.
• Serve as an initial point of contact for units, clinics, patients, call centers, and Care in the Community regarding appointments and referrals.
• Enter Veterans seeking emergent or urgent care and schedule appointments accurately.
• Pre-register Veterans during check-in, use call lists, and telephone Veterans before scheduled visits.
• Update patient demographic information.
• Communicate and interact with adult and geriatric patients in a manner appropriate to their cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation needs.
• Travel as required for the position.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered for higher or unique qualifications or VA needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees with qualifying family income may receive a childcare subsidy of up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, subject to a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a 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: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED