Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Advanced Medical Support Assistant

The incumbent serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (MSA) in a clinical team based model in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The work includes functions such as serving as an initial point of contact for the units, outpatient clinics, and patients, to include, but not limited to, scheduling patient appointments, tracking, reviewing, and responding to electronic orders, consults, and other elements in the electronic medical record and medical systems. This series includes work that requires a practical knowledge of computerized data entry, information processing systems and software related to patient care, the healthcare system's organization and services, basic rules and regulations governing visitors and patient treatment, knowledge of standard procedures, utilizing medical records, and medical terminology. The team works collaboratively with other members of an expanded healthcare primary care team including pharmacists, social workers, dieticians, behavioral health staff, to provide a robust interdisciplinary approach to care.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Coordinate information and actions related to patient care and services
• Scheduling patient appointments for treatment in accordance with VHA national directives and local standard operating procedures
• Answering multiline phone systems and retrieving voicemails to determine appropriate actions
• Interviewing patients for appointments
• Referring patients to other medical specialty clinics as required
• Providing information to patients necessary to resolve complaints
• Interacting with customers, in-person, over the phone and through correspondence both written and electronically through various systems
• Reviewing and documenting medical electronic health records and administrative records
• Verifying and updating demographics and third party insurance information
• Providing excellent customer service
• Participate in Team huddles and meetings
• Assist with coverage for other respective clinics
• Advise clinical staff on current administrative processes
• Assist with training to clinic specific requirements when needed
• Run administrative reports for the clinical team and take appropriate action (consults, no shows)
• Coordinates emergency transfers to other VA hospitals or private hospitals and determine eligibility status
• Work independently with minimal supervision
• Coordinates the release of information to various organizations in support of direct patient care needs
• Work rotated weekends and holidays throughout the year as needed