Lead Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Ann Arbor, MI

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Lead Medical Support Assistant works in Clinical Access Management Service at the LTC Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The role supports access to care across interdisciplinary settings and multiple clinics, specialties, and community resources. The incumbent assesses daily workload, assigns and balances work, ensures staffing coverage, evaluates training records, and identifies staff training needs. The position also assists with complex and non-standard procedures and clinical flow processes, oversees appointment scheduling quality and timeliness, provides guidance on policy and procedure changes, and serves as a liaison among staff, patients, and interdisciplinary teams to resolve day-to-day issues.

The regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The position is not eligible for telework and is not virtual. The work is mostly sedentary and involves sustained sitting and concentration, with some walking, standing, bending, carrying light objects, and occasional moderate exertion such as stooping, reaching, lifting, or pulling. Occasional walking some distance to meetings may be required.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under applicable law.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state or territorial proficiency certificate.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• One year of experience equivalent to GS-6, including advanced knowledge of technical health care processes related to access to care and interdisciplinary coordinated care or community care models.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures affecting patient flow and administrative support functions, including appointment cycles, outside referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, and provider availability.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with clinicians across multiple disciplines to support team goals and patient care.
• 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 with internal and external customers electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing; may include preparing and presenting reports and resolving patient concerns.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and clinical flow processes related to access to care across clinics, specialties, and community resources.
• Skill in communicating to obtain desired results and coordinating with interdisciplinary care team staff.
• Ability to use advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks or responsibilities to meet deadlines.
• Ability to provide staff development and training.
• Ability to manage staffing requirements and workflow priorities, adjust work to meet team and patient needs, follow up on pending issues, and understand the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics.
• Must complete the required application steps and online assessment; selected applicants must complete online onboarding and pass pre-employment evaluation.
• Subject to background and security investigation and required seasonal influenza vaccination program participation.
• Must serve a two-year trial period.

Responsibilities

• Assess daily workload, assign and balance work, and ensure proper staffing coverage across assigned areas.
• Assist with complex and non-standard procedures, including clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and community resources.
• Ensure appointments are scheduled accurately and on time.
• Provide staff guidance, including communicating changes in policies and procedures.
• Create and maintain employee work schedules.
• Conduct ongoing reviews to ensure quality of work.
• Orient and provide on-the-job training for new and current employees, evaluate training records, identify training needs, and ensure training requirements are met.
• Organize the work structure of assigned areas and adjust workflow to meet team and patient needs.
• Act as a liaison among Advanced MSA staff, patients, MSAs, and interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package for employees and their families; specific eligibility depends on position type.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual for prior federal 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