Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration • Iowa City, IA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant supports the Surgical Care Service within the Iowa City VA Health Care System, working in a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) model. The PACT team generally includes a provider, registered nurse care manager, clinical associate, and administrative associate.

The Advanced MSA coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic utilization reports, monitor clinic setup, and make adjustments to support clinic needs. The role maintains effective communication with patients, interdisciplinary teams, VA medical centers, and outside agencies, including helping coordinate transitions from inpatient to outpatient care, communicating with non-VA facilities, processing secure messages, notifying patients of normal lab results, and tracking follow-up care such as consults and tests.

The position also supports team huddles and meetings, prioritizes and sequences work to meet team and patient needs, monitors pre-appointment requirements, manages and validates the electronic wait list, follows up on operational matters, and evaluates patient information and clinic schedules to determine whether patients are vested. The MSA informs providers about shared patients receiving care at multiple VA facilities or in the community.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception when qualified U.S. citizens cannot be recruited.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency, or a state or territorial proficiency certificate.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level, including independent performance of healthcare administrative duties in an inpatient or outpatient setting.
• Advanced knowledge of healthcare technical processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary scheduling and care-in-the-community models and patient health care 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 disciplines to achieve team goals and meet patient 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 electronically, by phone, in person, and in writing with internal and external customers; may include preparing reports, presenting data, and resolving patient concerns.
• Successful completion of required application steps and an online assessment.
• Subject to background and security investigation and completion of online onboarding requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period.
• A pre-employment examination or evaluation is part of the hiring process.

Responsibilities

• Review clinic utilization reports with the patient care team, monitor clinic setup, and make adjustments to support clinic needs.
• Communicate with patients, interdisciplinary teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies, including supporting inpatient-to-outpatient transitions and communications with non-VA facilities.
• Facilitate and process secure messaging between patients and the care team; 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 work flow and sequencing 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 visits or procedures, including required X-rays and laboratory work.
• Manage the electronic wait list, verify and validate its accuracy, and resolve issues.
• Participate in problem-solving operational issues or procedures during team meetings and perform administrative follow-up actions.
• Follow up independently on team huddles by sharing information and collaborating with the medical team to support continuity of care.
• Evaluate patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether patients are vested.
• Educate providers about shared patients receiving care at multiple VA facilities or in the community, and bring these cases to providers’ attention.

Benefits

• Comprehensive federal employee benefits package available to eligible employees and their families.
• Prior work or military service may be credited toward annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

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