Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration•Fresno, CA

12d•Onsite

About The Position

This position serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant with the Office of the Chief of Staff for the VA Central California Health Care System in Fresno, California. The role provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. It involves administrative judgment and flexible use of clinical flow processes to support access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and care-in-the-community resources. The Advanced Medical Support Assistant uses advanced patient systems, monitors clinic appointment availability and schedules, recommends procedural changes based on current administrative guidelines, and coordinates communication among patients, care teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Limited ad hoc telework may be approved; the position is not virtual. The work is mostly sedentary, with some computer and phone use, light lifting or carrying of files and documents, and walking within the facility for meetings.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception under VA policy for recruiting qualified citizens.
High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a state or territorial education authority, unless qualifying under the stated grandfathering provision.
Proficiency in spoken and written English.
One year of creditable experience equivalent to GS-05, including relevant medical support and appointment-scheduling duties.
Advanced knowledge of technical healthcare processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary coordinated care and care-in-the-community scheduling and patient health portals.
Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures 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 clinicians across multiple medical disciplines to accomplish team goals and support patient care.
Ability to independently set priorities, organize work, and meet deadlines while following 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.
Complete all required application steps, including the online assessment, and meet applicable background, security, onboarding, identification, and influenza-vaccination requirements.
Register for Selective Service if applicable to males born after December 31, 1959.
Serve a one- or two-year trial period, with continued employment subject to written certification that it advances the public interest.

Nice To Haves

Specialty service and multiple complex clinic scheduling experience.

Responsibilities

Use specialized administrative judgment and clinical flow processes to support access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and care-in-the-community resources.
Recommend changes to clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines.
Use advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
Coordinate with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability and utilization, monitor schedules, and make adjustments as needed.
Maintain effective communication with patients, interdisciplinary care teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies.
Assist with communications during inpatient-to-outpatient discharge and communicate with non-VA medical facilities.
Prepare correspondence notifying patients of normal laboratory results.
Manage follow-up care systems for consults, tests, and other care needs.
Answer phones, greet patients, relay messages, and schedule appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with scheduling guidelines.
Schedule, cancel, and reschedule appointments and consults; enter no-show information; and monitor appointment requests from multiple electronic sources.
Participate in huddles to determine clinic needs and monitor inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility.
Verify and update patient demographics and insurance information at check-in.
Coordinate administrative functions for emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determine appointment type based on patient eligibility.