Lead Medical Support Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Phoenix, AZ

14h • Onsite

About The Position

The Lead Medical Support Assistant works in Outpatient Specialty Clinics within the Health Administration Service at the Carl T. Hayden Veterans Administration Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The position coordinates Advanced Medical Support Assistant assignments and workflow in an interdisciplinary unit, including daily workload assessments, work assignments, staffing coverage, training needs, and support for complex and non-standard procedures related to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and community resources.

The incumbent helps ensure timely and accurate appointment scheduling, provides guidance on policy and procedure changes, maintains employee schedules, and serves as a liaison among staff, patients, and interdisciplinary personnel to resolve day-to-day conflicts. The role requires independent work using guidelines, precedents, and regulations, with general supervisor assistance and referral of non-routine or highly technical problems. The position is primarily sedentary and requires prolonged sitting, with additional physical activities described below.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state- or territory-issued proficiency certificate.
• One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level.
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of medical terminology and clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or community resources.
• Ability to use numerous advanced patient systems in an interdisciplinary setting supporting multiple clinics.
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, delegate tasks and responsibilities, and meet deadlines.
• Skill in communicating effectively to obtain desired outcomes and coordinate with interdisciplinary care team staff.
• Ability to provide staff development and training.
• Ability to manage staffing requirements and workflow priorities and adjust workflow to meet team and patient needs, including following up on pending issues.
• Must meet applicable background and security investigation requirements and complete the required onboarding process.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a condition of employment.
• May be required to serve a one- or two-year trial period.
• Must complete all application requirements described in the announcement's Required Documents section.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and assign work, provide input on employee performance, resolve daily workplace issues, and maintain efficient workflow.
• Conduct ongoing reviews to ensure the quality of work.
• Ensure accurate and timely appointment scheduling.
• Provide staff guidance, including communicating policy and procedure changes.
• Distribute and balance workload among staff.
• Create and maintain employee work schedules and ensure appropriate staffing coverage.
• Orient staff and provide, coordinate, and evaluate training for new and current employees.
• Act as a liaison among Medical Support Assistant staff, patients, physicians, case managers, and other interdisciplinary staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts and coordinate care-related work.
• Plan and organize work, analysis requirements, reports, and special assignments to meet local and VA-wide time frames, referring non-routine and highly technical problems to the supervisor.
• Report backlogs, deadline difficulties, uncooperative physicians, and difficulty obtaining information from clinicians or records.
• Work independently using guidelines, precedents, and regulations, requiring minimal supervision.
• Assist with complex and non-standard procedures, including clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and community resources.
• Follow up on pending issues and account for the impact of incomplete work across multiple clinics.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package, with benefits available to employees and their families subject to position and eligibility rules.
• Selected applicants may qualify to receive credit for prior work or military service toward annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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