Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

About the Role

The incumbent serves as a Medical Support Assistant in Primary Care. Patient care is delivered in a team-based model known as the teamlet. S/he works as a member of the teamlet including a Registered Nurse Care Coordinator, a Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurse, and a Primary Care Provider. The teamlet provides the majority of the healthcare needs for an assigned panel of patients. The teamlet works collaboratively with other members of an expanded health care team including pharmacists, social workers, dieticians, behavioral health staff, etc. to provide a robust interdisciplinary approach to care. Important interfaces and collaborations also occur with larger health care system providers including VA and non-VA specialists, hospitals, diagnostic and treatment facilities, and community-based programs.

Responsibilities

• Identifies incomplete encounter information and communicates findings to providers to facilitate accurate workload credit and revenue collection.
• Ensures that all necessary health/administrative information is integrated into the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS).
• Performs receptionist duties, customer service, and other duties assigned for the proper and timely treatment of patients, and maintains appointment schedules for one or more outpatient clinics.
• Screens/receives phone calls in a courteous and timely manner, determines the nature of requests, and provides the information desired using privacy rules and established clinic processes.
• Responds to urgent or emergent written (faxed) requests for medical information from hospitals and/or doctors.
• Schedules appointments and utilizes the Electronic Waiting List accurately in a timely manner. All appointments will be made with the patient's input, either in person or by phone.
• Provides medical administrative support to one or more outpatient clinics and is an integral member of the outpatient clinic team to effectively carry out day-to-day administrative operations of the clinic.
• Provides administrative support to Physicians, Physician's Assistants, Nurses, Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners, Dietitians, Social Workers, and other administrative and professional staff throughout the Primary Care Service area.

Requirements

• United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. 7407(a).
• Education: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 – Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Qualifications

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  • 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. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels, as well as resolving patient concerns.
  • 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 (e.g., appointment cycles, outside patient referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, provider availability).
  • Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
• Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Schedule

8:00 AM – 4:30 PM, Monday–Friday.

Benefits

• Paid Time Off: 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). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience.
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, 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.
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).