Advanced Medical Support Assistant

Quick Facts

• Role: Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA)

• Work context: Supports multiple areas within outpatient clinics, Mental Health, and Primary Care

• Schedule: 8:00am to 4:30pm, Monday–Friday

• Work model: Not virtual

Description

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant provides expert administrative patient support across multiple clinics, helping coordinate appointments and maintain patient access to care in outpatient and community care settings. The role supports scheduling, demographics updates, call/visitor screening, and follow-up on electronic orders, consults, and administrative items from clinical team meetings. Responsibilities also include interacting with patients electronically and by phone to gather required information and support activities such as COVID-19 vaccine scheduling.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and manage appointment schedules across multiple clinics

• Schedule special studies or labs and follow up on administrative items from huddles/staffing meetings

• Ensure patient demographics are updated

• Screen and receive phone calls and visitors; determine request nature and provide information per privacy rules/processes

• Interpret provider orders and schedule appointments according to VHA national scheduling guidelines

• Communicate with patients to obtain information needed to determine patient needs

• Use advanced patient systems to run reports and queries

• Serve as an initial point of contact for scheduling, electronic orders, consults, and related electronic medical record elements

• Enter appropriate information into the electronic record; monitor pre-appointment requirements to ensure visit/procedure readiness

• Review clinic appointment availability/utilization and adjust schedules as needed

• Coordinate with the care team to identify incomplete encounters, resolve issues, and support readiness and follow-up care

• Process incoming secure messaging through MyHealthyVet and coordinate with the care team

• Coordinate communications during inpatient-to-outpatient discharge and with non-VA medical facilities

• Prepare correspondence to notify patients of normal lab results and manage follow-up care systems (consults/tests)

• Participate in team huddles/meetings to manage, prioritize, and resolve shared patient scheduling and information needs

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship

• Proficiency in written and spoken English

• Meet education/experience requirements (clerical/office/customer service/administrative experience or education equivalent)

• For GS-6: one year experience equivalent to GS-5

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and communicate with multidisciplinary clinicians and customers (phone, in person, writing, and electronically)

• Demonstrated ability to independently prioritize and organize work to meet deadlines and comply with policies/regulations

• Advanced knowledge of scheduling/access-to-care processes across coordinated care delivery and/or community models and patient health care portals

• Advanced knowledge of policies/procedures affecting patient flow, appointment cycles, referrals, follow-up care, overbooking, and provider availability

• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology

• Pass pre-employment physical and complete onboarding/pre-employment requirements

• Subject to background/security investigation

• Selected candidates may be subject to urinalysis prior to appointment

• Seasonal influenza vaccination required

• Selectively Service registration required for eligible males

Benefits

Federal employment includes a comprehensive benefits package. Eligibility depends on position type, and you must contact the hiring agency for specific benefits details.