Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration • White River Junction, VT

11d • Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant serves in a health care service line at the VA White River Junction Healthcare System, providing administrative support to the assigned section. The role is responsible for patient appointment and referral support, accurate data entry, and communication with Veterans, family members, health care staff, and other customers.

The position is described as a Monday-through-Friday day-shift schedule, with hours to be determined. The announcement also states that shifts may include evenings, nights, weekends, or holidays to address staffing shortages or high patient volume, and that tours may change based on patient and facility needs. Compressed or flexible schedules and telework are not authorized; this is not a virtual position.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for appointment of non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state or territorial education-board proficiency certificate.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• One year of experience equivalent to GS-05 in Federal service, including clinic experience in a hospital or doctor's office and scheduling a high volume of appointments annually.
• At least six months of clerical, office, customer service, or other administrative work indicating the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills needed for the position.
• High-level customer service skills, including daily interaction and communication with clinicians, patients, families, and coworkers.
• Experience resolving multiple clinic inputs (such as in-person, telephone, and instant-message communications) promptly and professionally.
• Experience with specific computer scheduling programs or software used in a clinic or hospital.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to accomplish team goals and meet patient care needs.
• Ability to independently prioritize and organize work, meet deadlines, and comply with established processes, policies, and regulations.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively by electronic means, telephone, in person, and in writing with internal and external customers; this may include preparing reports, presenting data, and resolving patient concerns.
• Advanced knowledge of technical health care processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary coordinated care, Community Care models, and patient health care portals.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures for coordinated care and Community Care operations affecting patient flow and administrative support, including appointment cycles, outside referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, and provider availability.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology.
• Must complete the required application steps and online assessment.
• Must register with Selective Service if male and born after December 31, 1959.
• Subject to background and security investigation; selected applicants must complete online onboarding and provide acceptable identification.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical examination.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to the conditions described in the announcement.
• No licensure, certification, or registration is required.

Responsibilities

• Collect and update insurance information from Veterans, family members, and other eligible patients.
• Prepare correspondence and memoranda as needed.
• Screen and receive phone calls courteously and promptly, determine the nature of requests, and provide information in accordance with privacy rules and clinic processes.
• Enter data accurately into VISTA and, when applicable, scan documents into VISTA Imaging within 24 hours of data entry.
• Promote Veterans' registration for and use of My HealtheVet (MHV) and kiosks.
• Follow procedures for Community Care referrals.
• Serve as an initial point of contact for units, clinics, patients, call centers, and Care in the Community regarding appointments and referrals.
• Enter Veterans seeking urgent or emergent care and schedule appointments accurately.
• Pre-register Veterans during check-in, use call lists, and telephone Veterans before scheduled visits.
• Update patient demographics.
• Communicate and interact with patients in a manner appropriate to the cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation needs of adult and geriatric patients.
• Work tours other than the regular scheduled tour, including evenings, nights, weekends, or holidays, as needed to cover shortages or high patient volume.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered for higher or unique qualifications or VA special needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 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.
• Potential childcare subsidy after 60 days for eligible full-time employees with total family income below $144,000, covering up to 25% of eligible costs, subject to a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k), with VA contributions up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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