Medical Support Assistant

Indian Health Service • Gallup, NM

6d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located in Case Management at the Gallup Indian Medical Center in Gallup, New Mexico. The Medical Support Assistant provides comprehensive clerical and administrative support to patients and staff and works closely with the Care Coordinator to process referrals, obtain prior authorizations, and coordinate outside services. The work supports compliance and improved patient access to care.

The role involves maintaining patient information and documentation in electronic health records, tracking systems, and paper files; coordinating appointments, follow-ups, referrals, and ancillary services; processing consults, orders, referrals, and authorizations; and serving as a first point of contact for patients, families, and visitors. The position requires adherence to HIPAA and confidentiality standards. A REAL ID-compliant state-issued identification document or driver's license is required if presented as one of the two valid identification forms before appointment; a REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, under the cited regulation.

Requirements

• For GS-04: Successfully complete two years of education above high school, or have at least one year of general experience equivalent to the next lower federal grade level in progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work demonstrating ability to acquire relevant knowledge and skills.
• For GS-05: Successfully complete four years of education above high school leading to a bachelor's degree, or have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower federal grade level providing administrative support for patient referrals and consults, coordinating appointments, tracking referral status, documenting follow-up, communicating to obtain missing information, and resolving routine scheduling issues.
• Equivalent combinations of post-high-school education and experience may qualify at GS-5 and below, subject to the stated grade-specific rules.
• Federal competitive-service merit promotion candidates must have completed one year at the next lower grade; this time-in-grade requirement does not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan.
• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check and a federal background investigation.
• Must complete required background investigation forms within five calendar days of issuance when instructed.
• Must meet the stated financial suitability requirements and present two valid forms of identification before appointment; if one is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant.
• Must comply with the IHS Employee Immunization Policy if duties require working permanently, temporarily, or occasionally in an IHS healthcare facility; vaccine exemption requests may be available under the policy and facility guidance.
• Resume must clearly identify duties and responsibilities for each position held and total hours worked per week.
• If using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, provide a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with the transcript.
• Education used to meet requirements must be from an institution accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Responsibilities

• Assist patients in completing new or updated forms for the Resource Patient.
• Enter, update, organize, and file patient information and related documentation in electronic health records, tracking systems, and paper files.
• Review records for completeness and accuracy, initiate corrections, and ensure proper routing and accessibility to support continuity of care, department operations, and compliance with HIPAA and confidentiality standards.
• Maintain logs, reports, and records supporting workload tracking, clinic productivity, and administrative reporting requirements.
• Coordinate and communicate patient appointments, follow-ups, referrals, and ancillary services across clinics, specialties, and providers to support timely access to care.
• Process consults, orders, referrals, and authorizations in the electronic health record and associated systems to support clinical care and continuity of services.
• Serve as the first point of contact for patients, families, and visitors, providing courteous and professional assistance in person, by phone, and electronically.
• Provide clerical support for meetings, correspondence, and data entry related to patient care activities and administrative operations.

Benefits

• Federal annual leave accrual of 4, 6, or 8 hours per pay period, depending on federal service.
• IHS may credit directly related previous non-federal experience or active-duty uniformed military service when determining annual leave accrual.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree