Lead Medical Support Assistant

Job Title

Duties

Function 1: Customer Service and Patient Interaction

• Meet the needs of customers (veterans, representatives, visitors, and VA staff) while supporting VA missions.
• Communicate courteously, tactfully, and respectfully with veterans, representatives, visitors, and staff.
• Provide veteran-centered care by emotionally supporting patients and their families and respecting their values and preference.
• Respond to patient inquiries concerning medical, personal, and administrative matters, referring medical questions to clinical staff.
• Handle conflict and problems constructively and positively while listening and responding to customer concerns.

Function 2: Scheduling and Administrative Support

• Serves as a subject matter expert on scheduling policies and clinical flow processes, ensuring that AMSAs adhere to VHA National Scheduling Guidelines.
• Interview patients to obtain necessary information for appointments and referrals to specialty clinics.
• Verify third-party insurance information, update details in the Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB) system, and ensure the accuracy of patient records.
• Perform front desk duties, such as patient check-ins, answering phones, and ensuring the timely relay of messages to clinical staff.
• Coordinate and verify provider orders for patient appointments, including cancellations, no-shows, and rescheduling.

Function 3: Training and Staff Development

• Evaluate the training needs of AMSAs and develop training plans to address identified gaps.
• Lead and deliver training sessions on key administrative processes, patient management systems, and new scheduling policies.
• Mentor and support less experienced AMSAs, helping them develop proficiency in their roles.
• Collaborate with supervisors to monitor trainees' progress and provide feedback to improve performance.
• Ensure that all training records are current and that AMSAs receive the necessary training to perform their duties effectively.

Function 4: Complex Administrative Support and Conflict Resolution

• Assist the clinic with complex administrative procedures, including coordinating clinical flow processes for patient access to care across various clinics and community resources.
• Serve as the primary liaison between AMSA staff, patients, and interdisciplinary team members to resolve day-to-day conflicts.
• Provide guidance and problem-solving assistance to staff in handling patient issues, appointment scheduling conflicts, and administrative challenges.
• Facilitate communication between AMSAs, patients, and clinical staff to ensure the timely resolution of issues that impact patient care.
• Coordinate daily workload assignments, assign tasks, ensure appropriate staffing coverage, and set break schedules.

Function 5: Leadership and Collaboration

• Lead interdisciplinary team huddles and meetings to review scheduling practices, discuss patient care needs, and resolve workload issues.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary staff to ensure scheduling practices align with VA policies and meet patient needs.
• Provide leadership in managing patient systems, ensuring the accuracy of scheduling data and the timely completion of appointments and consults.
• Act as a point of contact for patients receiving care at multiple VA facilities or in the community, coordinating their care plans with the broader care team.

Function 6: Data Analysis and Scheduling Compliance

• Conduct weekly reviews of all scheduling data to ensure compliance with scheduling directives and guidelines.
• Analyze and evaluate data related to return-to-clinic orders (RTC), consults, ICB, VA Online Self-Scheduling, VAOS, No-Later-Than (NLT) appointments, and urgent scheduling needs.
• Identify discrepancies or missed scheduling actions and take appropriate corrective actions to meet VA guidelines.
• Provide feedback and recommendations to improve scheduling efficiency, reduce delays, and address urgent scheduling requirements.

Function 7: Compliance and Information Security

• Ensure compliance with policies for the security of sensitive data, including the Privacy Act of 1974.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure access to sensitive information is limited to authorized staff.
• Report and address any violations of information security in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Use various office automation software (e.g., VISTA, CPRS, ICBWeb, ISS, CTM) to manage patient care.
• Provide feedback and recommendations to improve scheduling efficiency, reduce delays, and address urgent scheduling requirements.

Work Schedule: 8:00AM- 4:30 PM, Monday-Friday

Compressed/Flexible: Not Available

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 51654A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorize