Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration•Springfield, MO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) works in the Health Administration Service of the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks. The position is assigned to the Gene Taylor Veterans' Outpatient Clinic in Springfield, Missouri, and provides clerical, customer service, and administrative patient support in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model, including PACT, specialty clinics, and Compensation & Pension services. The role involves specialized administrative judgment and use of clinical-flow processes to support access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and community-care resources. The Advanced MSA coordinates with patients and care teams, manages follow-up care, supports clinic scheduling and patient-flow operations, and maintains accurate information in electronic patient systems. The position is full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; the schedule may change based on facility needs. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Work is performed in an office or clinic setting and may involve handling several tasks at once in stressful situations.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship is required, 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 education proficiency certificate.
One year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level for the GS-06 Advanced MSA position.
Proficiency in spoken and written English.
Advanced knowledge of technical health care processes related to access to care, including scheduling across interdisciplinary care models and patient health care portals.
Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures for interdisciplinary care delivery 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.
Ability to collaborate and communicate with medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to support team goals and patient care.
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, including resolving patient concerns and preparing or presenting reports and data.
Complete the required application steps, questionnaire, and online assessment.
Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation and background/security investigation, complete onboarding requirements, and participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as applicable.
Resume must describe qualifying experience and KSAs and include hours worked per week for experience credit.

Responsibilities

Communicate with patients, interdisciplinary teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies.
Manage follow-up systems for consults, tests, and other care needs.
Process incoming patient secure messages through My HealtheVet and coordinate with the care team as appropriate.
Participate in team huddles and meetings to manage, plan, problem-solve, and follow up on patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team.
Set priorities and deadlines, and adjust work flow and sequencing to meet team and patient needs.
Identify incomplete encounters and communicate findings to providers as needed.
Assist the team in reinforcing care plans and self-help solutions.
Enter appropriate information into electronic records.
Monitor pre-appointment information and requirements to ensure readiness for patient visits or procedures.
Ensure correct and up-to-date insurance information is captured.
Manage patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues.
Review patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether an immediate appointment is required.
Inform team members about shared patients, including patients receiving care at multiple VA centers or in the community.
Schedule, reschedule, cancel, record no-shows, and add appointments using VSE software.
Review clinic appointment availability and utilization, monitor schedules, and make adjustments as necessary.
Recommend changes to clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines.
Support communication during inpatient-to-outpatient discharge, communicate with non-VA medical facilities, prepare correspondence notifying patients of normal lab results, and coordinate follow-up care.