Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) - Primary Care

Veterans Health Administration • Bismarck, ND

14h • Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) works at the Bismarck VA Clinic, providing clerical and administrative patient-care support throughout the Primary Care Integrated Clinical Community (ICC). The position includes coverage of all Primary Care clinics, including Women's Health, and may provide coverage at the Front Desk/Emergency Department as needed. The AMSA works collaboratively within an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model and uses administrative judgment and clinical-flow processes to support access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and community-care resources.

The role coordinates appointment availability and utilization with the patient care team, monitors clinic schedules, and recommends changes when needed. It also supports communication and follow-up among patients, care teams, VA medical centers, and outside agencies. Work includes managing appointments and consults, processing patient communications, participating in team huddles and meetings, and organizing work to meet team and patient needs. The position requires tactful, effective communication in person, by telephone, electronically, and in writing.

The full performance level is GS-6. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required, subject to the stated exception for appointing non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under applicable law.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state/territorial proficiency certificate; alternatively, qualifying experience may meet the basic requirement.
• For GS-5 qualification: one year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 level.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology sufficient to understand diagnoses and procedures and communicate clinical staff instructions to patients.
• Customer-service skill, including identifying customer concerns and referring them to appropriate staff for resolution.
• Ability to use computerized programs and systems to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and personally identifying information in electronic health records, scheduling systems, or reports.
• Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting.
• Ability to work independently while performing a wide variety of patient-support duties.
• Ability to communicate professionally and effectively with internal and external customers in person, electronically, and by telephone.
• For GS-6 qualification: advanced knowledge of technical healthcare processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary scheduling and patient health-care portals.
• For GS-6 qualification: advanced knowledge of policies and procedures affecting patient flow and administrative support, including appointment cycles, outside referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, and provider availability.
• For GS-6 qualification: ability to collaborate and communicate with medical clinicians across multiple disciplines to accomplish team goals and ensure patient care.
• For GS-6 qualification: ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines and comply with established processes, policies, and regulations.
• For GS-6 qualification: ability to communicate tactfully and effectively with internal and external customers, prepare reports in various formats, present data to organizational levels, and resolve patient concerns.
• Must complete the application and questionnaire, required online assessment, and other application requirements.
• Subject to background/security investigation and required onboarding; acceptable identification is required for pre-employment requirements.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Participation in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for Health Care Personnel.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, with continued employment subject to written certification that it advances the public interest.
• Must meet the position's physical requirements; details are referenced in VA Directive and Handbook 5019 and may be addressed during pre-employment evaluation.

Nice To Haves

• Comfort using common medical and administrative software systems.
• Strong customer-service communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and stay organized in a busy environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialized administrative patient-care support in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• Apply administrative judgment and clinical-flow processes to support access to care across clinics, specialties, and community-care resources.
• Recommend changes to clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines.
• Use advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics.
• Coordinate with the patient care team to review appointment availability and utilization, monitor clinic schedules, and recommend changes as needed.
• Communicate and coordinate with patients, interdisciplinary care teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies, including support for inpatient-to-outpatient discharge communications and non-VA facility communications.
• Manage follow-up systems for consults, tests, procedures, and other care.
• Schedule, cancel, and reschedule patient appointments and consults, including telehealth and Video appointments (VVC).
• Enter no-show information and monitor appointment requests from multiple electronic sources.
• Process patient communications in multiple formats 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.
• Share information and collaborate with the interdisciplinary team; set priorities and deadlines and adjust work sequencing to meet team and patient needs.
• Communicate tactfully and effectively with internal and external customers in person, by phone, electronically, and in writing.
• Provide coverage for Primary Care clinics, including Women's Health, and the Front Desk/Emergency Department as needed.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific eligibility depends on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.

What This Job Offers

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