Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration•North Little Rock, AR

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) works in the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System's Nursing Operations / Clinical Contact Center (CCC) in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The AMSA is part of an interprofessional healthcare team and provides specialized administrative patient support in a coordinated care delivery model. The work requires administrative judgment and flexible use of clinical flow processes to support access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and community-care resources. The AMSA communicates with Veterans and care teams through available contact methods, including telephone, secure messaging, chat, text messaging, and video. The position uses advanced patient systems, coordinates appointment and consult scheduling, supports patient follow-up, and helps ensure accurate and efficient clinic operations. The role requires tactful, effective communication with Veterans, families and caregivers, clinical staff, VA medical centers, and outside agencies, including when addressing challenging interactions or patient concerns. This is a GS-06 position with rotating shifts, including weekends and holidays. The schedule may change based on facility needs. Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks and normal safety precautions. The position is not telework-eligible and is not virtual. Physical requirements may include standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. The employee may need to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual tuberculosis screening or testing.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship, with a non-citizen appointment possible only when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under the applicable statute.
High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or qualifying state or territorial proficiency certificate.
Proficiency in spoken and written English.
For the GS-06 level, one year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level.
Advanced knowledge of healthcare processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary scheduling and patient healthcare portals.
Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures affecting coordinated-care operations, 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 accomplish team goals and meet patients' medical-care needs.
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 by electronic means, telephone, in person, and in writing with internal and external customers; this may include preparing reports, presenting data, and resolving patient concerns.
Successful completion of the required application steps and online assessment.
Successful background/security investigation, pre-employment physical evaluation, and online onboarding process.
Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program and compliance with applicable identification and employment requirements.
Service of a 1- or 2-year trial period, during which continued employment is evaluated.
Ability to meet the physical demands of the assignment, which may include standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing.
Ability to handle multiple tasks in sometimes stressful situations.

Nice To Haves

Computer skills and experience with Access, Power BI, Excel, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Word.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with CAVHS VISN programs, services, and interprofessional care team members to provide Veterans access to care through telephone, secure messaging, chat, text messaging, and video.
Answer telephone, secure-message, and chat inquiries; greet patients; and relay messages to appropriate staff within or outside the CCC.
Schedule, cancel, and reschedule patient appointments and consults, interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.
Use advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in a coordinated care delivery model.
Maintain effective communication with patients, care teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies, including non-VA medical facilities.
Obtain medical documentation from patients and review electronic medical records.
Process medication refill requests.
Participate in huddles with other MSAs and CCC staff to determine daily needs.
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 needed.
Inform interprofessional team members about shared patients who receive care at multiple VA centers or in the community.
Provide Veterans with accurate information about VA services and deliver customer service to Veterans and their families or caregivers.
Communicate tactfully and effectively with challenging, threatening, abusive, or distraught customers and resolve Veteran complaints as appropriate.
Perform other assigned duties to support efficient and effective operations.