Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

Department of Veterans Affairs

The Advanced Medical Support Assistant (A/MSA) in Patient Business Service, Ward Administration at Dayton VA Medical Center performs technical and clerical duties to support direct patient care. As a key member of the patient care team, the A/MSA manages patient flow and provides critical administrative guidance. The role involves interfacing with PC and Vista applications, as well as the Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR), on inpatient units and in the ER.

• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Major duties include: Provide specialized, expert administrative patient support within an interdisciplinary care model. Use specialized administrative judgment and flexible clinical flow processes to adapt to changing patient needs. Collaborate, communicate, set priorities, and organize work to meet deadlines while ensuring compliance with processes and regulations. Serve as the administrative point of contact and support person for inpatient units and ER, working self-directed with minimal supervision. Utilize advanced patient systems to support care across multiple clinical disciplines. Coordinate with the patient care team to manage access to care, assign correct providers, notify admissions, enter patient movements, schedule outpatient/discharge appointments, and support nursing with admissions and transfer processes. Engage with patients, care teams, VA centers, and outside agencies for admissions, discharge, follow-up care, and seamless information transfer. Set priorities and deadlines, adjust work flow and task sequencing to best meet team and patient needs. Enter and monitor information in electronic health records, ensuring pre-appointment requirements are met and patient visit readiness. Initiate/perform a variety of administrative functions supporting care in medical, surgical, psychiatric, long-term care, and sub-specialty units. Use word processing and office automation software to store/retrieve files, format documents, transmit/receive emails, and print documents. Schedule ED visits, print patient armbands/labels, and ensure proper patient check-in using VISTA, ICB, and other VA applications. Validate patient demographic and insurance information using pre-registration tools; update as needed for each encounter. Manage ward units independently by referencing sources, making decisions, and empowering teams to collaboratively resolve system problems. Assist clinical staff with administrative orientation and maintain close working relationships regarding policy/procedure matters. Demonstrate professionalism, courtesy, and compassion as frontline contact, skillfully handling sensitive patient and family interactions. Answer phone calls promptly, determine needs, and provide information while upholding privacy and established processes. Schedule/coordinate consults, labs, x-rays, and specialty appointments per provider orders, always involving the patient in scheduling. Process and release sensitive information per privacy guidelines (HIPAA, FOIA, Privacy Act); route legal/complex requests properly. Protect all sensitive data from unauthorized access, loss, or alteration; follow all computerized file and access protocols. Meet and communicate effectively with diverse individuals and clinical team members to accomplish assignments. Operate office automation equipment/software, organizing record systems and setting up clinical appointments. Maintain confidentiality of all patient data. Complete all mandatory training/education requirements and comply with supervisor-assigned education. Work independently, managing position responsibilities, priorities, and deadlines with proficiency and little supervision. Plan and execute day-to-day office operations proactively, resolving problems and ensuring efficient, timely, accurate completion of all duties. Work Schedule: Sunday through Saturday, 3:30 P.M. to Midnight. Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Avialable Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 93047A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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