Lead Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Las Cruces, NM

12d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Lead Medical Support Assistant at the El Paso VA Health Care Center performs duties related to the receipt, intake, and indexing of health and administrative information, using personal computer applications and numerous VistA applications. The incumbent leads the work of Medical Support Assistants, helping ensure efficient workflow, accurate and timely appointment scheduling, and coverage across areas of responsibility. The employee plans and organizes work with general assistance from a supervisor, meeting local and VA-wide timeframes for analyses, reports, and special assignments, and refers nonroutine or highly technical problems to the supervisor.

The position involves guiding and training staff, maintaining schedules, resolving day-to-day workplace issues, and identifying process improvements. The incumbent communicates routinely with physicians, case managers, and other allied health professionals, handles sensitive information confidentially, and reports backlogs or difficulties in meeting deadlines or obtaining information. The work is sedentary, with some movement between offices and other work areas, walking and standing for meetings, and occasional carrying or lifting of light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ad-hoc telework is available; this is not a virtual position.

Requirements

• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state- or territorial-level proficiency certificate.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade for the GS-07 Lead Medical Support Assistant grade determination.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and clinical flow processes related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community settings.
• Skill communicating to obtain desired outcomes and coordinating with interdisciplinary care team staff.
• Ability to use numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary setting.
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, and delegate tasks and responsibilities to meet deadlines.
• Ability to provide staff development and training.
• Ability to manage staffing requirements and workflow priorities, and adjust work to meet team and patient needs, including following up on pending issues and understanding the effects of incomplete work across multiple clinics.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Must meet applicable background/security investigation and onboarding requirements.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period as a condition of employment.
• Must meet the stated physical requirements for the position.

Nice To Haves

• Medical Support Assistant or scheduling experience.
• Supervisor or lead experience.
• Ability to delegate work.
• Healthcare knowledge.
• Customer service skills.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and assign work, provide input on performance, resolve daily workplace issues, and maintain efficient workflow.
• Ensure coverage of all areas of responsibility, including collaborating with other lead Medical Support Assistants to cover other areas.
• Ensure accurate and timely scheduling of appointments.
• Provide staff guidance regarding changes in policies and procedures.
• Promote a positive work environment through professionalism, mentoring, and efforts to improve morale.
• Review and address process issues and improvements within the area of responsibility.
• Create and maintain employee work schedules based on mission needs.
• Orient and provide current on-the-job training to new and current employees.
• Ensure all training requirements for the area of responsibility are met.
• Act as a liaison between Medical Support Assistants and staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts.
• Plan and organize work to meet local and VA-wide deadlines for analyses, reports, and special assignments; refer nonroutine and highly technical problems to the supervisor.
• Report backlogs, deadline difficulties, uncooperative physicians, and difficulties obtaining information from clinicians or records.
• Maintain confidentiality of information obtained while performing duties.
• Communicate with physicians, case managers, and other allied health professionals using sound interpersonal skills.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on higher or unique qualifications or VA special needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, comprising 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Potential childcare subsidy for eligible full-time employees after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k), with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs may be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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