Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration • Craig, CO

5h • Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) provides specialized administrative patient support within an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Vacancies may be in Care in the Community, Primary Acute Care Teams, the Call Center, specialty clinics, the Business Office, Community Care Service, or Health Administrative Services at multiple locations. AMSAs support clinical colleagues in delivering timely, accurate, and accessible health care to Veterans.

The role coordinates clinic utilization and setup, maintains communication among patients, care teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies, and supports secure messaging and patient notifications. It also manages follow-up tracking and electronic wait lists, monitors pre-appointment requirements, participates in team huddles and meetings, and helps organize work to meet team and patient needs. The position is predominantly clerical and is usually performed in an office setting, working with others and/or alone.

This is a full-time position. The work schedule will be determined upon selection. Telework and virtual work are not available. The full performance level is GS-06.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship; non-citizens may be appointed only when recruiting qualified citizens is not possible under VA policy.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or qualifying state or territorial proficiency certificate, unless covered by the applicable grandfathering provision.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-5 level, including patient scheduling, referrals, customer interaction, electronic health record review and documentation, insurance verification, obtaining patient medical information, and coordinating patient care.
• Advanced knowledge of technical health care processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary coordinated care, care in the community models, and patient health care portals.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures affecting patient flow and administrative patient 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 support team goals and patient care.
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines and comply with established processes, policies, and regulations.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively with internal and external customers electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing; this may include preparing reports, presenting data, and resolving patient concerns.
• Must complete required application steps and an online assessment.
• Subject to background and security investigation and required onboarding procedures.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA health care personnel.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, as applicable.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with the patient care team to review clinic utilization using various reports.
• Monitor clinic setup and make necessary adjustments to support clinic needs.
• Maintain effective communication with patients, interdisciplinary teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies.
• Facilitate and process secure messaging between patients and care teams, and notify patients of normal lab results.
• Develop and manage tracking systems for follow-up care, including consults and tests.
• Participate in team huddles and meetings to manage and plan patient care.
• Set priorities and deadlines and adjust the flow and sequencing of work to meet team and patient needs.
• Work with the team to reinforce care plans and self-help solutions and enter appropriate information into the electronic record.
• Monitor pre-appointment requirements to ensure readiness for patient visits or procedures, such as X-rays and lab work.
• Manage the electronic wait list to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues.
• Schedule and reschedule patients, interview patients for appointments, and refer patients to other medical specialty clinics.
• Provide information to patients to help resolve complaints and coordinate information and actions related to patient care and services.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a child care subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to family income and other eligibility limits.
• 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 may be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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