Lead Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Montrose, NY

21h • Onsite

About The Position

The Lead Medical Support Assistant (MSA) supports Outpatient Services by performing administrative functions related to scheduling patient care for clinical programs at a VA Medical Center. The incumbent independently completes recurring assignments and refers deviations, problems, and unfamiliar situations to the supervisor. The role includes monitoring work across lower-grade MSAs, adjusting daily priorities, conducting quality audits, identifying staff training needs, and recommending reassignment or recognition as appropriate.

The Lead MSA schedules appointments and consults, supports clinic access and profile management, verifies preregistration and patient demographic information, collects and updates health insurance information, and helps ensure patients are ready for visits. The position also handles calls and correspondence, maintains supplies, and provides courteous, tactful service to Veterans and staff while protecting sensitive patient information and supporting patient identification and safety standards.

The incumbent trains and orients employees, monitors scheduling practices and performance, and stays current with VA policies, regulations, directives, software, and healthcare delivery processes. The role requires working knowledge of medical terminology, clinic workflows, patient consult and scheduling processes, medical record systems, privacy requirements, and national performance measures. The position is onsite and has a Monday-through-Friday schedule from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; it is not a virtual position.

Requirements

• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a state or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade for the Lead Medical Support Assistant, GS-07.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology and clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community settings.
• Skill in communicating to obtain desired effects 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 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.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception under VA policy for recruitment of qualified citizens.
• Pass a pre-employment physical examination and any required background/security investigation; selected applicants in testing-designated positions are subject to pre-employment drug testing.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA healthcare personnel.
• Complete the required online onboarding and application documentation.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.
• Use appropriate standards for patient identification and protect confidential and sensitive patient information under applicable privacy requirements.

Responsibilities

• Perform administrative functions associated with scheduling patient care for clinical programs.
• Provide educational sessions and on-the-job training for new and current employees on clerical processes and scheduling practices.
• Apply VA policies, regulations, guidelines, and processes for scheduling appointments and consults and meeting pre-appointment clinical requirements.
• Monitor clinic access to care and insurance collection and capture at appointments.
• Stay current with changing regulations, directives, software patches, programs, and processes involved in healthcare benefit delivery.
• Assist with EARR cleanup and support clinics with utilization and clinic profile management, including setting up clinic grids and canceling or restoring clinics.
• Screen and receive phone calls courteously, identify the nature of requests, and provide information in accordance with privacy rules and clinic processes.
• Prepare correspondence and memos as needed and stock basic office supplies for clinical and administrative areas.
• Schedule Veterans seeking urgent or emergent care accurately and contact Veterans to preregister them before appointments.
• Update patient demographics and collect, scan, and update health insurance information.
• Communicate appropriately with adult and geriatric patients, including Veterans with complex health problems or frustration with administrative processes.
• Ensure VA forms are used correctly, regulations are followed, patient identification is validated, and preregistration is completed.
• Oversee the status of work for lower-grade MSAs, adjust daily assignments according to priorities, and seek supervisor assistance with unresolved problems or backlogs.
• Resolve simple workplace issues and informational employee complaints, referring other matters to the supervisor.
• Conduct ongoing audits to ensure accurate and timely appointment scheduling and refer substandard performance or behavior to the supervisor.
• Identify staff education and training needs, evaluate scheduling practices, and recommend reassignments, recognition, and other personnel actions.
• Support standardized telephone etiquette and provide excellent customer service to patients and staff.
• Monitor national performance measures, including no-shows, cancellations, new-patient scheduling, consult management, and returning-patient management.
• Perform additional duties or tasks assigned by the supervisor to support efficient daily operations.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package is available to eligible employees and their families.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior federal work or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

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