Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

About the role

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) is part of a PACT Care Team or specialty care setting - typically composed of clinical and administrative professionals. The AMSA provides essential clerical and administrative support to patients and staff - including scheduling appointments by interpreting and verifying provider orders per VHA guidelines.

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)
• Experience: None
• Education: High school diploma - General Education Development equivalency certificate - or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education
• Licensure/Certification/Registration: None
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C.7403(f)
• 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)

Qualifications

• Experience: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in Federal service (GS-05)
• Examples of experience at the next lower grade:
  • Knowledge of medical terminology - scheduling appointments (including interpreting and verifying provider orders) - canceling - re-scheduling patient's appointments and/or consults
  • Use of Microsoft Office - entering no-show information
  • Monitoring the electronic wait list
  • Preparing for clinic visits
  • Monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility
  • Ensuring encounter forms are completed in order to obtain appropriate workload credit
  • Verifying and updating demographics and insurance information
  • Processing all emergency and non-emergency transfers to other facilities or hospitals
  • Performing basic eligibility - co-pays and pre-authorization requirements for specific coverage - and other related support work in a health care setting
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSA): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  • Ability to collaborate - communicate - set priorities - and organize the work in order to meet deadlines - ensuring compliance with established processes - policies - and regulations
  • Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively - both orally and in writing - in order to meet program objectives (This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels)
  • Ability to run errands in support of team functions by clinical staff
  • Ability to call Rapid Response as needed and directs resources in the event of an emergency as well as receives and directs patients and visitors
  • Ability for the following: Sitting - Standing - effective verbal communications - walking - bending - lifting - carrying more than 35 lb objects such as files - books - and paper - box of paper reams - quickly responding to mental health codes to replace nursing staff tasks
  • Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process as it relates to access to care
  • Advanced knowledge of managing