Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Fresno, CA

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (Advanced MSA) provides specialized administrative patient support as part of an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. The position uses administrative judgment and a broad range of clinical flow processes to support access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and community-care resources. The full performance level is GS-06.

The Advanced MSA works with patients, care teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies to coordinate appointments, referrals, follow-up care, communications, and administrative processes. The role monitors clinic utilization and schedules, supports patient readiness for visits and procedures, maintains accurate information in patient systems and electronic records, and contributes to team planning and problem-solving.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or as determined by the supervisor. This is not a virtual position. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change-of-station expenses are not authorized.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state or territorial education department proficiency certificate, unless qualifying under the applicable grandfathering provision.
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-05 level, including patient communications, appointment and consult scheduling, interpreting and verifying provider orders, managing appointment requests, participating in clinic huddles, monitoring inpatient and outpatient appointments, and verifying patient demographic and insurance information.
• Advanced knowledge of technical health care processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery, community-care models, and patient health care portals.
• 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 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 with internal and external customers electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing; this may include preparing reports, presenting data, and resolving patient concerns.
• Meet applicable pre-employment identification, background/security investigation, onboarding, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Serve a 1- or 2-year trial period, during which continued employment is evaluated.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with specialty services and scheduling multiple complex clinics is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Recommend changes to clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines.
• Use advanced patient systems to support multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• Coordinate with the patient care team to review appointment availability and clinic utilization, monitor schedules, and make adjustments as needed.
• Maintain effective communication with patients, interdisciplinary care teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies, including supporting inpatient-to-outpatient discharge communications and communications with non-VA medical facilities.
• Prepare correspondence notifying patients of normal laboratory results and manage follow-up systems for consults, tests, and other care.
• Process incoming patient secure messages through My HealtheVet and coordinate with the care team as appropriate.
• Participate in team huddles and meetings to manage, plan, problem-solve, and follow up on patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team.
• Set priorities and deadlines and adjust work flow and sequencing to meet team and patient needs.
• Identify incomplete encounters and communicate findings to providers as needed.
• Assist the team in reinforcing the plan of care and self-help solutions.
• Enter appropriate information into the electronic record.
• Monitor pre-appointment information and requirements to ensure readiness for patient visits or procedures.
• Manage patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues.
• Evaluate patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether a patient requires an immediate appointment.
• Inform team members about shared patients who receive care at multiple VA centers or in the community.
• Perform higher-level duties with significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, and variety at least 25% of the time when applicable to assignments above the full-performance level.

Benefits

• Comprehensive federal employee benefits package available to eligible employees and their families.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior federal work or military service, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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