Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Veterans Health Administration•Salt Lake City, UT

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Veterans Affairs Salt Lake City Medical Center is hiring an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) to support Radiology Service and coordinate patient care. The role works collaboratively with an interdisciplinary care team, such as a patient aligned care team or other specialty care setting, to support clinic operations and patient access. The AMSA monitors clinic utilization and setup, communicates with patients, medical teams, VA facilities, and outside agencies, and receives and triages orders. The position schedules and tracks initial, follow-up, emergency, and same-day appointments; coordinates patient transfers and appointments across services; and ensures relevant clinical information is available to providers before visits. The AMSA also reviews records and orders, gathers outside-provider documentation, and assists with patient eligibility and pre-procedure screening. For complex Radiology procedures—including Interventional Radiology, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT, Vascular Ultrasound, DEXA, and Fluoroscopy—the AMSA coordinates the process from order through scheduling. This includes checking that clinical screening, labs, medication instructions, fasting requirements, and other pre-procedure steps are complete. The role also coordinates with outside medical centers, transportation services, and Anesthesia when needed; obtains outside scans and reports; screens for VA lodging eligibility; and collects accurate patient information for scheduling, registration, and check-in. This is a Monday–Friday position scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Compressed or flexible scheduling and telework are not available; the position is not virtual. The full performance level is GS-06.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizen appointments when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
High school diploma, GED, or qualifying proficiency certificate.
Proficiency in spoken and written English.
One year of experience equivalent to GS-05 in Federal service, including relevant health care support experience such as medical terminology, appointment and consult scheduling, interpreting provider orders, managing wait lists, preparing clinic visits, updating demographic and insurance information, transfers, or eligibility and authorization support.
Ability to collaborate, communicate, set priorities, organize work, meet deadlines, and comply with processes, policies, and regulations.
Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively orally and in writing, including preparing reports and presenting data.
Ability to run errands supporting clinical team functions, call Rapid Response when needed, direct emergency resources, and receive and direct patients and visitors.
Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, lift, and carry objects weighing more than 35 pounds, and respond quickly to mental health codes to replace nursing staff tasks.
Advanced knowledge of health care processes related to access to care and clinic management, including independent use of references, decision-making, and team problem-solving in a complex system.
Advanced knowledge of operational policies and procedures affecting patient flow, patient care, and revenue processes.
Advanced knowledge of medical terminology.
Completion of required application steps and pre-employment screening, including background/security investigation and onboarding; seasonal influenza vaccination is required for VA health care personnel.
Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a fast-paced ambulatory care setting, preferably a PACT team or other clinic setting.
Strong patient registration, scheduling, and care-coordination skills across multiple providers or services.
Proficiency with VA electronic health record systems such as CPRS, VistA, or Cerner, and consult management.
Excellent customer service and communication skills focused on patient advocacy and satisfaction.
Knowledge of medical terminology and ability to interpret and process provider orders.
Experience handling sensitive patient information in compliance with HIPAA and VA policies.
Ability to multitask and manage time effectively.
Ability to adapt to new initiatives and rapidly changing health care environments.
Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team to support patient flow and access.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with interdisciplinary patient care teams to support coordinated care delivery.
Review clinic utilization reports and monitor clinic setup, making adjustments as needed to support clinic needs.
Communicate effectively with patients, care teams, VA medical centers, and outside agencies, including facilitating secure messaging and care transitions.
Receive and triage orders, schedule initial and follow-up appointments, and track orders for assigned disciplines.
Coordinate patient transfers between wards and clinics and appointments with other services, including emergency add-ons and same-day appointments.
Ensure medical information, including imaging and laboratory reports and admission orders, is available to clinicians before patient visits.
Keep program staff informed of patient census changes and potential problems, and obtain and scan outside-provider documentation when needed.
Review patient records and physician orders, and select, complete, and route requests for patient activities and treatment procedures.
Review patient eligibility and safety information, including relevant laboratory results, medical history, allergies, contraindications, and claustrophobia, to determine readiness for procedures and contrast use.
Coordinate complex Radiology procedures from order through scheduling, verifying that pre-procedure requirements and screening are complete.
Coordinate with outside medical centers to arrange scans for patients who exceed weight limits, and arrange transportation as required.
Coordinate required services with Anesthesia and obtain outside scans on CD and original radiologist reports for VA patient records.
Research patient information and screen patients for VA lodging eligibility when they travel long distances or have been sedated.
Collect accurate and timely patient information for scheduling, rescheduling, pre-scheduling questions, registration, and check-in by interviewing patients or representatives and reviewing official records.
Run errands in support of clinical team functions, receive and direct patients and visitors, and call Rapid Response and direct resources during emergencies as needed.