Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

About the role

Serves as the initial point of contact at the VA Northern California Health Care System - Benefits and Data Management Service. Incumbent is responsible for scheduling patient appointments - tracking - reviewing - and responding to electronic orders - consults - and other elements in the electronic medical record and medical systems.

Responsibilities

• Incumbent is responsible for scheduling patient appointments - tracking - reviewing - and responding to electronic orders - consults - and other elements in the electronic medical record and medical systems.
• Collaborates and communicates with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines (e.g. - medical doctors - nurse practitioners - physician assistants - psychologists - psychiatrists - social workers - clinical pharmacists - and nursing staff) to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met.
• Independently sets priorities and organizes work to meet deadlines - ensuring compliance with established processes - policies - and regulations.
• Communicates tactfully and effectively - electronically - by phone - in person - and in writing - with internal and external customers.
• Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines.
• Utilizes numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• Coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability (utilization) to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics and adjusts as necessary.

Requirements

• Basic Requirements: High school diploma - General Education Development equivalency certificate - or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• Education: None required.
• Certification: None required.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section A - paragraph 3.j.

Qualifications

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the [GS-5] grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: Candidates must demonstrate [all of] the KSAs below:
• Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process (including - but not limited to - scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community models and patient health care portals) as it relates to access to care.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect patient flow - and patient support care administrative functions to include - but not limited to appointment cycles - outside patient referrals - follow-up care - overbooking - provider availability - etc.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines (e.g. - medical doctors - nurse practitioners - physician assistants - psychologists - psychiatrists - social workers - clinical pharmacists - and nursing staff) to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met.
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines - ensuring compliance 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.
• Communication skills to prepare reports in various formats and present data to various organizational levels - as well as resolve patient concerns.
• Expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• Coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability (utilization) to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics and adjusts as necessary.

Skills

• Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process (including - but not limited to - scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community models and patient health care portals) as it relates to access to care.
• Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect patient flow - and patient support care administrative functions to include - but not limited to appointment cycles - outside patient referrals - follow-up care - overbooking - provider availability - etc.
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines (e.g. - medical doctors - nurse practitioners - physician assistants - psychologists - psychiatrists - social workers - clinical pharmacists - and nursing staff) to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met.
• Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines - ensuring compliance 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.
• Communication skills to prepare reports in various formats and present data to various organizational levels - as well as resolve patient concerns.
• Expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• Coordinates with the patient care team to review clinic appointment availability (utilization) to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics and adjusts as necessary.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37-50 days of annual paid time off per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
• Full-time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Pay

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Schedule

• Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm - Full-Time.

Telework

• This is not a telework position.

Virtual

• This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #

• 07091F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives

• Not Authorized.

Pay

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Physical Requirements

• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS)

• Not Authorized.