Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Buffalo, NY

14h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) serves in the Care in the Community Service at the VHA Western New York Healthcare System, providing advanced administrative and clerical support for coordinating, scheduling, tracking, and documenting authorized community care services for Veterans. The role supports administrative components of Care in the Community and works collaboratively with clinical and administrative staff, community providers, and authorized vendors.

The position coordinates community care referrals, consults, authorizations, appointments, procedures, diagnostic services, records, and follow-up. It maintains accurate documentation in approved electronic records and VA systems, monitors assigned worklists and outstanding actions, and refers clinical or unresolved matters to appropriate staff. The role also provides customer service to internal and external customers and participates in team huddles, meetings, and process-improvement activities.

The work schedule is 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Telework is ad hoc; this is not a virtual position. The position is permanent, and recruitment/relocation incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized. The full performance level is GS-6. Applicants must meet federal employment requirements, including U.S. citizenship, English proficiency, and a high school diploma or equivalent. Grade-level placement requires one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade, along with the specified knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship; non-citizens may be appointed only when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state or territorial proficiency certificate; no education substitution is available.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade for the GS-06 Advanced Medical Support Assistant grade determination.
• Experience must involve knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current Medical Support Assistant responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient-support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting.
• Advanced knowledge of technical healthcare processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary coordinated care and community care models, scheduling, and patient 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 a wide range of 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.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation and background/security investigation.
• Complete the online onboarding process and required application documentation.
• Meet applicable federal requirements, including Selective Service registration for males born after December 31, 1959, and acceptable employment-identification documentation.
• Participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced administrative support for Care in the Community referrals, consults, authorizations, appointments, procedures, diagnostic services, and related follow-up.
• Document referral actions, communications, scheduling activity, records requests, and outstanding issues in appropriate electronic systems.
• Assist clinical and administrative staff with administrative referral coordination and tracking; review referral information, coordinate follow-up, document pending actions, and escalate unresolved or non-routine issues.
• Coordinate community care appointments and administrative requests with community providers and authorized vendors.
• Schedule authorized appointments, procedures, surgery, imaging, diagnostic testing, specialty care, rehabilitation, and follow-up services according to documented instructions and established procedures.
• Follow up with providers and vendors to confirm appointment completion, identify cancellations or no-shows, address scheduling barriers, and obtain outstanding records and documentation.
• Request, receive, track, and route medical records, consultation reports, diagnostic results, operative reports, and other provider documentation in accordance with VA policy.
• Follow up on missing, incomplete, illegible, or delayed records and document the status of requests.
• Review information in approved referral, scheduling, or screening tools for administrative completeness; document missing or conflicting information and escalate clinical, eligibility, authorization, or risk-related questions.
• Enter, update, verify, and validate referral, consult, appointment, provider, authorization, and records information in the electronic record and applicable VA systems, including CPRS, HSRM, and PPMS.
• Perform telephone, electronic, written, and face-to-face receptionist and customer-service duties with internal and external customers.
• Obtain and document administrative information needed to process or route requests; provide timely assistance within role scope and refer clinical matters to appropriate clinical staff.
• Document customer contacts, messages, actions taken, and follow-up requirements in the appropriate electronic record or approved communication system.
• Participate in team huddles, staff meetings, interdisciplinary discussions, and process-improvement activities.
• Set priorities and adjust work sequencing to meet Veteran needs, referral requirements, timeframes, service priorities, and workload demands.
• Review assigned information for administrative barriers and monitor pre-appointment requirements and follow-up actions; escalate clinical or unresolved issues.
• Monitor assigned worklists and report backlogs, unresolved referrals, records delays, scheduling barriers, system problems, vendor concerns, or other conditions affecting timely care coordination.
• Perform other duties appropriate to the position and consistent with Care in the Community requirements, VA policy, established procedures, training, and scope of responsibility.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package for employees and their families; specific benefit eligibility depends on position type.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior federal work or military service, if requested and approved before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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