Medical Support Assistant (advanced)

Advanced Medical Support Assistant

The Pocatello Idaho Community Based Outpatient Clinic (part of the Salt Lake City VA Health Care System) is recruiting for an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) position in Health Administration Service. The AMSA is primarily responsible for customer service, scheduling, and administrative support for the assigned clinics/providers and other duties as assigned they relate to care coordination for treatment of patients in the medical center or outpatient clinic.

Responsibilities include administrative support functions including scheduling appointments, inbound/outbound phone support, consult review and necessary documentation related to care coordination for treatment of patients in the medical center or outpatient clinics. The Advanced MSA demonstrates strong communication and customer services skills and works closely with all staff members performing the administrative duties essential to support the timely care of patients and support of the service/unit goals.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Greets and checks patients in/out for appointments.
• Schedules/Cancels appointments and interprets/verifies provider orders/consults in accordance with VHA Scheduling directives and guidelines.
• Ensures that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic and makes any necessary adjustments.
• Develops/maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary team, VA medical centers, and other agencies.
• Facilitates/processes secure messaging with the patient and team; notifies patients of normal lab results.
• Develops and manages a tracking system for follow-up care such as consults, tests, etc.
• Participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care.
• Sets priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs.
• May work with the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions and entering appropriate information into the electronic record.
• Monitors pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g., X-ray, lab work).
• Monitors orders, consults, recalls to verify and validate accuracy, resolve issues and schedule/disposition as necessary.
• Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines.
• Expertise in utilizing numerous advanced patient systems in support of multiple clinics involved in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model.
• Coordinates with the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) or the clinical team within the Specialty they are supporting, to review clinic appointment availability (utilization) to ensure that clinic schedules are closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinics and makes adjustments as necessary.
• Participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage, plan, problem solve, and follow-up with patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team.
• Enters appropriate information into the electronic record; monitors pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure.
• Evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment; informs team members about shared patients (i.e., those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or those who receive care in the community).
• Supports Patient Safety standards using the correct Veterans Affairs identification of all patients and adheres to standards/responsibilities in responding to medical emergencies.
• Other duties as assigned by MSA Supervisor or Lead MSA

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 0830-1700 or TBD. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Title/Functional Statement #: Advanced Medical Support Assistant/53181-A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements Conditions of Employment:

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a trial period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.

Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Must pass pre-employment TB test. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications:

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.

Basic Requirements:

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

Experience and Education:

Experience. Six months experience of clerical, office, customer service, or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; OR, Education. One year above high school; OR, Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

Certification. None require.

Grandfathering Provision. 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).

Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.

Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

English Language Proficiency. MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English.

Grade Determinations:

In addition to the basic requirements above for employment listed above, Specialized Experience. One-year equivalent to at least next lower grade level (GS-679-05).

Assignment. The Advanced MSA provides specialized and expert administrative patient support while working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. Work involves specialized administrative judgment and the flexible use of a wide range of clinical flow processes relating to access to care across multiple clinics, specialties, and/or care in the community resources.

Recommends changes to existing clinic procedures based on current administrative guidelines. 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 make adjustments as necessary.

MSAs at this level develop and/or maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model teams, VA medical centers, and other agencies (e.g., assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge; communicate with non-VA medical facilities; prepare correspondence to notify patients of normal lab results; manage a system for follow-up care such as consults, tests, etc.).

Other assignments at this level include, but are not limited to:

• Processes incoming patient secure messaging through My Healthy Vet and coordinates with care team as appropriate.
• Participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage, plan, problem solve, and follow-up with patient care by sharing information and collaborating with the interdisciplinary team.
• Setting priorities and deadlines, adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs.
• Identifies incomplete encounters and communicates findings to providers; as needed.
• Assists the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions; enters appropriate information into the electronic record.
• Monitors pre-appointment information and/or requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure.
• Manages patient systems to verify and validate accuracy and resolve issues.
• Evaluates patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether the patient requires an immediate appointment; informs team members about shared patients (i.e., those who receive their care at multiple VA centers or those who receive care in the community).

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below:

• 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