Program Support Assistant (OA)

Program Support Assistant (OA)

The Program Support Assistant acts as liaison between patients and medical center staff. The position works independently, requiring minimal supervision. He or she serves as the primary contact and process expert regarding administrative items related to the assigned subspeciality clinic. Major duties of the Program Support Assistant (OA) include but are not limited to:

• Assists with the orientation of new staff to subspeciality clinic.
• Performs work involving the collection, compilation, and/or tracking of data and statistical information in support of the service's operation.
• Reviews of error reports for accurate encounter documentation and transmission of data. Accepts and dispositions of any telephone calls from patients, caregivers, other VA staff, and/or community agency staff, regarding program inquiries, patient care concerns, etc.
• Handles all vendor scheduling for the assigned subspeciality clinic.
• Develops and maintains data reports using Excel, PowerPoint, and software computer packages to create and compile weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
• Corrects errors in team data entries of workload (telephone and visit) encounters for the assigned subspecialty clinic.
• Responsible for accumulating information, data analysis and planning necessary for administrative recommendations and/or decisions to implement efficient service management and resolution of service problems.
• Responsible for recommendations having policy-making implications and implementation of decisions following approval of Department of Surgical Services.
• Interacts daily with Surgical Service staff, patients and their families, other VA staff, and people outside the VAMC ranging from other government agencies to the public.
• Explains services provided by the assigned subspeciality clinics and other programs within the VAMC to inquire individuals.
• Refer to and coordinate with other VAMC programs when appropriate. Answers the telephone, arranges and compiles agendas, attends and records meeting proceedings.
• Keeps schedules and timelines of needed visits from various parties (Coordinator, Fire and Safety Officer, etc), as well as ensures that required training sessions are performed and documented in a timely manner.
• Processes incoming and outgoing materials, such as correspondence, reports, memoranda, and other forms of written communication.
• Designs, delegates, and monitors office procedures that support patient care, thus freeing the clinical providers as much as possible to provide direct patient care.
• Obtains, organizes, files, and retrieves reports, correspondences, and numerical data for use in preparing status reports, briefings, and presentations. Identifies and recommends ways of eliminating, consolidating, simplifying, or improving procedures, and processes.
• Composes reports and meeting minutes as directed by the assigned subspeciality clinic, uses computer programs to type all recurring correspondence, minutes, reports, and maintain computer files easily accessible by other team members.
• Advises the supervisor of important office issues arising during the supervisor's absence, and brings significant items in reports, files, and correspondence to the supervisor's attention.
• Serves as recording liaison for the assigned subspeciality clinic, staff and team meetings with responsibility for distribution of minutes.
• Obtains as much information as possible during telephone inquiries, provides information and resolves problems independently when possible. The incumbent will be able to assess the situation, problem solve and direct the caller to the appropriate personnel and/or handle the caller issues as autonomously as possible.
• The incumbent ensures timely clinical response to patients/callers that potentially have an emergent or urgent care need through prompt identification of the problem and appropriate clinical referral.
• Provides general office supply and equipment support services, such as obtaining office supplies and services, procuring, or justifying the full range of office services. Coordinates meetings and/or schedules conferences.
• Provides clerical services such as maintaining multiple calendars and recording appointments, arranging for meetings and small conference administrative details, or following up on action items with appropriate staff members independently.
• Attend meetings, notes commitments made, inform staff of commitments and follows up.
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 08:00am-04:30pm

Telework: Not Authorized

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Program Support Assistant (OA)/ PD50544A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized