Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Warren, OH

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is recruiting an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) for the Warren, Ohio VA Clinic. The AMSA provides specialized administrative patient support as part of a Primary or Specialty Care team using an interdisciplinary, coordinated-care model. The role supports patient access and clinic operations, including scheduling, tracking follow-up care, and using PC/Vista applications and the Federal Electronic Health Record. The AMSA is a key source of information about patient care and patient flow and works with patients, clinicians, VA facilities, and outside agencies. The work is primarily sedentary in an office setting, with occasional walking, standing, bending, kneeling, carrying light items under 15 pounds, reaching above shoulder level, or driving an automobile. The position is full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; telework is unavailable and the position is not remote.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for appointment when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Meet the basic qualification through one of the following: six months of qualifying clerical, office, customer service, or administrative experience; one year of education above high school; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• For GS-06, one year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in specialized administrative patient support, clinic flow, scheduling, and related patient-care coordination work.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to accomplish team goals and meet patient-care needs.
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines while complying 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 healthcare processes, including scheduling in interdisciplinary care or community-care models and patient health 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.
• Must complete the required application steps and online assessment; selected applicants must complete onboarding and a background/security investigation.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period.

Nice To Haves

• At least two years of experience scheduling patients in a clinical environment.

Responsibilities

• Schedule patient appointments.
• Coordinate with the patient care team to review clinic utilization using reports and help ensure schedules meet clinic needs.
• Communicate with patients, interdisciplinary teams, VA medical centers, non-VA medical facilities, and other agencies.
• Facilitate and process secure messages between patients and care teams, and notify patients of appointments.
• Manage tracking systems for follow-up care, including Return to Clinic orders, recalls, consultations, tests, and other follow-up needs.
• Set priorities and deadlines and adjust the sequencing of work to meet team and patient needs.
• Monitor pre-appointment requirements, such as imaging and laboratory work, to ensure readiness for visits and procedures.
• Participate in team meetings and contribute to resolving operational issues; complete administrative follow-up actions.
• Participate in team huddles and independently follow up by sharing information and collaborating with the medical team to support continuity of care.
• Inform providers about shared patients receiving care at multiple VA facilities or in the community.
• Report backlogs, deadline difficulties, uncooperative physicians, and difficulty obtaining information from clinicians or records.
• Maintain confidentiality of information and communicate sensitively with physicians, case managers, and other allied health professionals.
• Work independently and make decisions according to guidelines, precedents, and regulations, requiring minimal supervision.
• Monitor patient information and schedules, identify incomplete encounters, verify and validate patient-system data, and determine when patients may need immediate appointments.
• Enter appropriate information into the electronic record and assist the team in reinforcing care plans and self-help solutions.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a range of federal benefits; specific eligibility depends on position type and other factors.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.

What This Job Offers

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