Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration • Manchester, NH

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) serves within various healthcare service lines at the VA Manchester Healthcare System, providing administrative support to an assigned section. The role works collaboratively in an Interdisciplinary Coordinated Care delivery model, such as a Patient Aligned Care Team or specialty care setting. Duties may include supporting clinic profile management; collecting and updating insurance information; preparing correspondence and memos; handling phone calls; accurately entering data into VISTA and, when applicable, scanning documents into VISTA Imaging within 24 hours; and promoting Veterans’ use of My HealtheVet and kiosks.

The position also supports Community Care referrals and serves as an initial contact for units, clinics, patients, call centers, and Care in the Community regarding appointments and referrals. Tasks include scheduling appointments, including for Veterans seeking emergent or urgent care; preregistering Veterans at check-in; using call lists and telephones to contact Veterans before visits; updating patient demographics; and communicating appropriately with adult and geriatric patients.

Standard hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but assigned hours are determined at selection and schedules may be adjusted for facility needs. Employees may be asked to work other tours, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays, to address staffing shortages or high patient volume. This is not a virtual position. The full performance level is GS-6.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• High school diploma, GED equivalency certificate, or state or territorial proficiency certificate, unless covered by the applicable grandfathering provision.
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in Federal service (GS-05).
• Clinic experience in a hospital or doctor's office, including scheduling a high volume of appointments annually.
• Demonstrated high-level customer service through daily interaction with clinicians, patients, families, and coworkers.
• Experience resolving multiple clinic inputs, such as in-person, telephone, and instant-message communications, promptly and professionally.
• Experience with computer scheduling programs or software used in a clinic or hospital.
• Advanced knowledge of technical healthcare processes related to access to care, including interdisciplinary coordinated care, Community Care models, and patient 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 accomplish team goals and ensure patient care needs are met.
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines while complying with processes, policies, and regulations.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively with internal and external customers in person, by phone, electronically, and in writing.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Must meet pre-employment requirements, including background/security investigation and physical evaluation; seasonal influenza vaccination is required for VA healthcare personnel.
• Must serve a two-year trial period, subject to the terms described in the announcement.

Responsibilities

• Support clinics with clinic profile management.
• Collect and update insurance information from Veterans, family members, and other eligible patients.
• Prepare correspondence and memos as needed.
• Screen and receive phone calls courteously and promptly, determine the nature of requests, and provide information in accordance with privacy rules and clinic processes.
• Enter data accurately into VISTA and, when applicable, scan documents into VISTA Imaging within 24 hours of data entry.
• Promote Veterans’ registration for and use of My HealtheVet and kiosks.
• Follow procedures for Community Care referrals.
• Serve as an initial contact for units, clinics, patients, call centers, and Care in the Community on patient appointments and referrals.
• Schedule appointments accurately, including for Veterans seeking emergent or urgent care.
• Preregister Veterans during check-in and call Veterans before scheduled visits using call lists and telephones.
• Update patient demographics.
• Communicate and interact with adult and geriatric patients in a manner appropriate to their cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation needs.
• Collaborate with medical clinicians across disciplines to support team goals and patient care.
• Organize and prioritize work to meet deadlines and comply with established processes, policies, and regulations.
• Communicate with internal and external customers in person, by phone, electronically, and in writing, including resolving patient concerns and preparing or presenting reports and data.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, consisting of 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 the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to family income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a 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 before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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