Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration • North Little Rock, AR

11d • Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) works in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) Specialty Care Team at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System in Little Rock and North Little Rock, Arkansas, and/or an assigned Community-Based Outpatient Clinic. The position is primarily assigned to the Orthotic, Prosthetic, Pedorthic Clinical Service (OPPCS) at the North Little Rock campus.

The AMSA provides specialized administrative patient support within an interdisciplinary coordinated care model. The role includes receptionist duties, consult management, customer service, appointment scheduling and maintenance for multiple outpatient and inpatient clinics, and other administrative support for timely patient care. The AMSA manages clinic check-in kiosks and telephone systems, reviews consult and recall lists, helps coordinate access when staffing or coverage changes, and communicates with clinicians and administrative staff to support patient care.

The position requires applying VA scheduling policies and healthcare-benefit regulations, handling sensitive information, resolving difficult service concerns, and independently prioritizing work. The AMSA may provide coverage for other support roles or OPPCS duties during special projects, workload surges, leave, or vacancies. Work is performed in an office/clinic setting and can involve managing multiple tasks in stressful situations.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required, subject to the stated exception for recruiting qualified citizens under 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state/territorial proficiency certificate.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For the Advanced Medical Support Assistant, GS-06 grade: one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
• Advanced knowledge of the technical healthcare process as it relates to access to care, including interdisciplinary coordinated care scheduling and/or care-in-the-community models and patient healthcare 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 medical 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 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.
• Pass a background/security investigation and pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Meet onboarding and identification requirements and complete application documentation.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program and comply with applicable TB screening/testing and personal protective equipment requirements.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit.

Nice To Haves

• Experience scheduling multiple clinics for providers with different scopes of practice.
• Experience setting up telehealth appointments.
• Experience documenting phone calls.
• Experience using various computer programs.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialized administrative patient support in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• Perform receptionist duties, manage consults, provide customer service, and complete other administrative duties supporting timely patient treatment.
• Maintain appointment schedules for multiple outpatient and inpatient clinics.
• Adjust appointment times, locations, or dates and shift patients among providers when staffing or coverage conflicts affect access.
• Screen and receive phone calls courteously, determine the nature of requests, and provide information in accordance with privacy rules and clinic processes.
• Manage clinic check-in kiosks and the Automated Call Distribution or Data telephone system for multiple disciplines.
• Independently set priorities and deadlines and sequence work to meet team and patient needs.
• Participate in huddles and team meetings involving patient care planning and management.
• Notify the supervisor when clinic access is inadequate or a patient cannot be scheduled within mandated timeframes.
• Review active and pending consult lists, return-to-clinic orders, VEText, VCL, recall lists, and Audiocare communications for accuracy and efficiency.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with clinical and administrative staff to determine priorities supporting direct patient care.
• Coordinate with physicians, therapists, residents, students, and staff from other services.
• Interpret and apply laws, regulations, directives, and policies related to the administration of VA healthcare benefits.
• Provide Program Support Assistant (Care Facilitator) or Medical Support Assistant coverage during special projects, heavy workloads, leave, vacancies, or as needed.
• Rotate duties to provide OPPCS coverage.
• Complete personnel reports and rosters and maintain supplies and forms.
• Generate patient workload reports for validation and monitor clinical activity for consistent and accurate reporting.
• Intervene to resolve difficult problems and reduce potential patient dissatisfaction with VA services.
• Serve as a technical advisor and liaison with contacts at all levels.
• Report backlogs, deadline difficulties, uncooperative providers, or challenges obtaining information from clinicians or records.
• Communicate with physicians, therapists, and other allied health professionals about complex cases while using sound interpersonal skills and maintaining awareness of sensitive information.
• Apply VHA Scheduling Directive 1230 and complete accurate scheduling responsibilities.
• Schedule appointments and use CAVHS standardized comments and VCL accurately and promptly.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• 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 receive a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility criteria; the subsidy may cover up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, up to a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Selected applicants may qualify for prior-service credit toward annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

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