Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Livermore, CA

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) provides administrative and team support for a patient-aligned care team, primary care or specialty clinic, or outbound clinical support/patient scheduling unit. The role works collaboratively with an interdisciplinary care team and serves as an authority on administrative processes, regulations, and procedures involving eligibility and benefits, clinic support, data collection, medical record management, and customer service. The incumbent interprets and implements regulations and uses independent judgment and flexibility to support patient access and clinic operations.

The AMSA schedules outpatient appointments using the Integrated Scheduling Solution and follows national business rules for clinic visits, consultations, and wait lists. The role may also support outbound clinical support or call-center operations by responding to and routing contacts, escalating symptomatic concerns to clinical staff, and using computerized and telecommunications systems to manage information. Additional duties include auditing encounter forms and coding, correcting data-entry issues, capturing private insurance information, and maintaining protected patient records. The position is based in an outpatient treatment, front-desk, and/or call-center setting and requires coordination across clinic areas.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for recruiting qualified citizens under VA policy.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state/territorial proficiency certificate.
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade for the GS-06 Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) grade determination.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Advanced knowledge of healthcare administrative processes, scheduling across interdisciplinary care models, and patient health care portals as they relate to access to care.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures 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 clinicians across multiple disciplines to support team goals and patient care.
• Ability to independently set priorities, organize work, meet deadlines, and comply with processes, policies, and regulations.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively by phone, electronically, in person, and in writing, including preparing reports, presenting data, and resolving patient concerns.
• Successful completion of required scheduler training and passing scores on required post-tests and the scheduling hands-on demonstration and competencies.
• Must complete required application steps, online assessment, background/security investigation, and online onboarding.
• Must meet Selective Service registration requirements for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.

Responsibilities

• Receive patients, initiate the admitting process, route patients to destinations, provide telephone assistance, triage telephone calls, gather demographic information, and schedule appointments.
• Provide cross-coverage for other clinics as staffing needs dictate.
• Schedule outpatient appointments, consultations, and entries into the Electronic Wait List and Veterans Choice List using the Integrated Scheduling Solution and established business rules.
• Complete required national and local outpatient scheduling training, including the VHA Scheduler Training for Internal Schedulers curriculum and required assessments.
• For outbound clinical support or call-center assignments, respond to Veterans’ requests within scope, escalate symptomatic concerns to clinical staff, and route contacts to the appropriate area.
• Use software, hardware, data portals, computerized interfaces, and telecommunications systems to transfer and capture information and manage incoming and outgoing contacts.
• Process encounter forms and audit diagnostic and outpatient procedure codes for accuracy; work with providers to address errors or discrepancies.
• Generate daily appointment management reports and resolve required actions or data-entry errors.
• Capture patient private insurance information in the ICB system daily.
• Protect sensitive printed and electronic medical records in accordance with applicable privacy laws and policies.
• Coordinate with care teams to monitor clinic appointment availability and adjust schedules as needed.
• Support patient follow-up and care coordination, including communications with care teams, other VA facilities, and outside agencies.
• Participate in team huddles and meetings, manage priorities and deadlines, identify incomplete encounters, and share relevant patient information with the interdisciplinary team.
• Monitor pre-appointment information and requirements, verify patient-system information, and identify patients who may need immediate appointments.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package available to the employee and family, subject to eligibility.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, if requested and approved.

What This Job Offers

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