Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration • Cleveland, OH

9d

About The Position

The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is recruiting a Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) to work in the Community Care Service with the Referral Coordination Team. The role focuses on scheduling specialty-care referrals, supporting patient access and clinic operations, and coordinating communications and follow-up among patients, clinicians, VA medical centers, and community agencies. The position requires independent work using established guidelines, precedents, and regulations, with general assistance from a supervisor for routine planning and escalation of non-routine or highly technical problems.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ad hoc telework is available. The work is primarily sedentary and is performed in an office, meeting, or training-room environment. The position is classified as GS-06. Relocation or recruitment incentives and permanent change-of-station benefits are not authorized.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state- or territorial-level proficiency certificate.
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade for the GS-06 position.
• Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process, including scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care and/or community-care models and patient health care portals, as it relates to access to care.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures for coordinated care and/or 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.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with clinicians across multiple disciplines to accomplish team goals and ensure patient care needs are met.
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines while complying with established processes, policies, and regulations.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing with internal and external customers; this may include preparing reports, presenting data, and resolving patient concerns.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Successful completion of required application steps, including an online assessment; tentatively selected applicants are subject to urinalysis screening for illegal drug use.
• Successful completion of a background/security investigation and online onboarding; acceptable identification is required for pre-employment requirements.
• Participation in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Completion of a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Two years of experience in specialty medicine scheduling.

Responsibilities

• Schedule referrals within Specialty Care.
• Coordinate with the patient care team and review clinic utilization reports, including the Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary.
• Monitor clinic setup and recommend actions to ensure compliance, corrective action, and appropriate access.
• Communicate with patients, interdisciplinary teams, VA Medical Centers, and other agencies, including supporting inpatient-to-outpatient transitions, communicating with non-VA facilities, facilitating secure messaging, notifying patients of appointments, and tracking follow-up care.
• Set priorities and deadlines, and adjust the flow and sequencing of work to meet team and patient needs.
• Reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions with the team, and enter appropriate information into the electronic record.
• Monitor pre-appointment requirements to ensure readiness for visits and procedures, such as completion of X-rays and lab work.
• Participate in team meetings and provide input on operational problems and procedures.
• Perform administrative follow-up actions and follow up on team huddles to share information and collaborate with the medical team to support continuity of care.
• Evaluate patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether patients are vested.
• Educate providers about shared patients who receive care at multiple VA facilities or in the community, and bring relevant information to providers’ attention.
• Plan and organize work to meet local and VA-wide deadlines for analyses, reports, and special assignments; refer non-routine and highly technical problems to the supervisor.
• Report backlogs, deadline difficulties, uncooperative physicians, and difficulty obtaining information from clinicians or records.
• Maintain confidentiality and communicate with physicians, case managers, and allied health professionals using sound interpersonal skills.
• Work independently, making decisions based on guidelines, precedents, and regulations while requiring minimal supervision.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific eligibility depends on position type, and applicants are directed to contact the hiring agency for details.
• Prior federal or military service may be credited toward annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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