Adv Med Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Reno, NV

9h • Hybrid

About The Position

This position serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant in Health Administration Service at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System in Reno, Nevada. The incumbent receives, intakes, and indexes health and administrative information and uses personal computer and Vista applications. Working within an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model, the Advanced MSA coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic utilization and support patient care. The role requires independent work using established guidelines, precedents, and regulations, with minimal supervision. The incumbent plans and organizes work with general assistance from a supervisor, completes analyses, reports, and special assignments within local and VA-wide time frames, and refers non-routine or highly technical problems to a supervisor. The position is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of information and reporting backlogs or difficulties meeting deadlines or obtaining information from clinicians or medical records. Higher-level duties must be performed at least 25% of the time.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• One year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level (GS-05) for the GS-06 position.
• Creditable experience demonstrating knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current Medical Support Assistant responsibilities or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA inpatient or outpatient medical setting.
• Experience must be at a level comparable to Medical Support Assistant experience or equivalent administrative clinical support at the next lower grade level; part-time experience is credited in proportion to the full-time workweek.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to set team goals and support 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.
• Advanced knowledge of technical healthcare processes, including scheduling in coordinated care and community-care models and patient healthcare portals as they relate to access to care.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures for coordinated care and community-care operations affecting patient flow and administrative support, including appointment cycles, outside referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, and provider availability.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology.
• Must complete any required probationary period, background/security investigation, and online onboarding process.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program and, subject to legally required accommodations, the COVID-19 vaccination program.
• No education substitution is available at this grade level.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain effective communication with patients, interdisciplinary teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies.
• Assist with communications during inpatient-to-outpatient discharge and communicate with non-VA medical facilities.
• Facilitate and process secure messaging between patients and the care team.
• Notify patients of normal laboratory results.
• Develop and manage tracking systems for follow-up care, including consults and tests.
• Participate in team huddles and meetings to manage and plan patient care, share information, and support continuity of care.
• Schedule patient appointments and set priorities and deadlines, adjusting work flow and sequencing to meet team and patient needs.
• Work with the team to reinforce care plans and self-help solutions and enter appropriate information into the electronic record.
• Monitor pre-appointment requirements to ensure readiness for visits or procedures, such as required X-rays or laboratory work.
• Manage the electronic wait list to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues.
• Participate in problem-solving operational issues or procedures and perform administrative follow-up actions.
• Evaluate patient information and clinic schedules to determine whether patients are vested.
• Inform providers about shared patients who receive care at multiple VA facilities or in the community.
• Plan and organize work, complete analysis requirements, reports, and special assignments within applicable time frames, and report backlogs or difficulties meeting deadlines or obtaining information.
• Maintain confidentiality and communicate with physicians, case managers, and other allied health professionals using appropriate interpersonal skills.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

Benefits

• Federal employees earn annual leave at a rate of 4, 6, or 8 hours per pay period based on years of federal service.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed