Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration•Mount Vernon, IL

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) works in the Nursing Operations Department at the Mount Vernon VA Clinic in Mount Vernon, Illinois. The position provides specialized and expert administrative patient support as part of an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. It involves using administrative judgment and a range of clinical flow processes to support access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and community care resources. The incumbent may recommend changes to clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines and uses advanced patient systems to support multiple clinics. The AMSA coordinates with the patient care team to monitor clinic appointment availability and adjust schedules as needed to support clinic needs. The role also includes communication and coordination with patients, interdisciplinary teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies, including support for inpatient-to-outpatient transitions, communication with non-VA facilities, notifying patients of normal laboratory results, and managing follow-up care. The position participates in team huddles and meetings, helps manage patient care, and maintains relevant information in the electronic record. The work schedule is 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Telework is not authorized, and the position is not virtual. The work is sedentary, with occasional walking, standing, bending, or carrying light items. No special physical demands are required.

Requirements

United States 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 proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education, unless qualifying under the applicable grandfathering provision.
One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.
Advanced knowledge of technical health care processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary coordinated care scheduling 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 meet patient care needs.
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; may include preparing reports, presenting data, and resolving patient concerns.
Complete all required application steps, including the online assessment, and meet pre-employment onboarding, identification, background/security investigation, and influenza vaccination requirements.
Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as required.

Responsibilities

Recommend changes to existing 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 clinic appointment availability and monitor and adjust clinic schedules as needed.
Communicate and coordinate with patients, interdisciplinary care teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies, including during inpatient-to-outpatient discharge transitions and with non-VA medical facilities.
Prepare correspondence notifying patients of normal laboratory results and manage follow-up care, including consults and tests.
Process incoming patient secure messages through MyHealthyVet 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 through information sharing and collaboration.
Set priorities and deadlines and adjust the flow and sequencing of work 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 an immediate appointment is required.
Inform team members about shared patients receiving care at multiple VA centers or in the community.