Advanced Medical Support Assistant Intermittent

Veterans Health Administration • Toms River, NJ

15h • Onsite

About The Position

This intermittent position serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant at the Toms River, New Jersey VA Clinic under the supervision of the Primary Care Department. The role provides clerical and administrative support for patient care, including receiving patients, maintaining patient files, and supporting medical record systems. It requires analytical ability, judgment, discretion, and a strong commitment to customer service.

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant supports outpatient appointment management and care coordination for Veterans across PACT teams within Ambulatory Care Service. The position may be assigned to East Orange, Lyons, or a community-based outpatient clinic within the VA New Jersey Health Care System. The incumbent uses computerized applications and databases to enter, update, and retrieve sensitive information in electronic medical records, scheduling systems, and reports, while maintaining confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA requirements.

The position helps optimize clinic schedules and utilization, coordinates with patients and interdisciplinary care teams, and performs administrative duties that facilitate coordinated care. Duties may vary by assignment and include scheduling and follow-up activities, appointment preparation, communication with patients and staff, and support for clinic operations. The work schedule is intermittent on various days from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; ad hoc telework may be determined by the service. This is not a virtual position.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Six months of clerical, office, customer-service, or other administrative experience indicating the ability to acquire the required knowledge and skills; or one year of education above high school; or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
• For GS-6: one year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.
• 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 and comply 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.
• Advanced knowledge of technical health care processes as they relate to access to care, including scheduling in coordinated care or community care models and patient health care portals.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures for coordinated care and community care operations affecting patient flow and administrative patient support, including appointment cycles, outside referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, and provider availability.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology.
• Must meet applicable background and security investigation requirements and complete the online onboarding process and required application documentation.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a VA health care personnel requirement.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period and receive written certification for continued employment after the trial period.
• Physical demands are primarily those of a sedentary office position, with possible walking, standing, twisting, turning, sitting, pushing, bending, frequent keyboard use, carrying light items, and prolonged computer-terminal work while using a telephone headset.

Nice To Haves

• Customer service experience and knowledge of medical terminology are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate and process secure messaging between patients and care teams.
• Notify patients of normal laboratory results by mailing lab letters.
• Develop and manage tracking systems for follow-up care, including consultations and tests.
• Monitor pre-appointment requirements to ensure patients are ready for visits or procedures, such as X-rays, laboratory work, and EKGs.
• Participate in daily team huddles and weekly team meetings to manage and plan patient care.
• Assist with setting priorities and deadlines, and adjust work flow and sequencing to meet team and patient needs.
• Work with the care team to reinforce care plans and self-help solutions, and enter appropriate information into the electronic record.
• Collaborate within an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• Review clinic utilization with the patient care team using reports and monitor clinic setup to support clinic needs.
• Coordinate with PACT during schedule-scrub activities.
• Arrange clinic cancellations, blocking, and rescheduling with a supervisor.
• Review open encounters daily and coordinate timely closure of clinic appointments with PACT.
• Scan non-VA medical documentation.
• Review the insurance capture buffer daily.
• Address return-to-clinic orders daily.
• Assist the team with virtual appointment management.
• Perform basic eligibility requirements in accordance with VA policy.
• Provide input to problem solving in PACT and complete follow-up actions.
• Share information and collaborate with PACT and medical center staff.
• Order administrative supplies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• The announcement states that federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and eligibility.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED