Medical Support Assistant; Advanced

Position: Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)
Incumbent serves as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) who is assigned to perform general AMSA duties as a member of a Referral Coordination Team (RCT). The RCT consists of dedicated clinical staff and clinical support staff whose primary goal is to streamline the referral process to ensure that every Veteran has a complete picture of their care options so he/she can make the most informed care decisions and schedule their appointment in VA or the community.

The RCT AMSA is responsible for interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines to schedule, cancel, re-schedule patient's appointments and/or consults. The RCT AMSA is responsible for: entering no-show information; monitoring the Unable to Schedule entries, preparing for clinic visits; monitoring outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility; ensuring action required encounters are printed to providers in order to obtain appropriate workload credit;

verifying and updating demographics and insurance information; performing basic eligibility, co-pays and preauthorization requirements for specific coverage.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

* Performs assigned duties in a manner that promotes quality health care, outstanding customer service, and the maintenance of an environment committed to serving the veteran. Reports any backlogs and any difficulties in meeting deadlines.

* Schedules appointments and manages worklists as outlined in VHA policy.

* Schedules a consult appointment for the patient. Accurately maintains the consult tracking package. Maintaining consults includes changing the consult status each time the consult is processed, such as: received and scheduled. When the clinic does not have availability, the incumbent contacts the clinical members of the RTC for treatment options (virtual care, community care, interfacility care).

* When unable to schedule the consult due to capacity and where the Veteran indicates s/he prefers VA care, the incumbent tags the consult appropriately using the "Unable to Schedule" tab in the Consult Toolbox (CTB).

* Determine Community Care eligibility by Decision Support Tool (DST) or through alternative means.

* Makes appointments more convenient for the Veteran by combining appointments when possible and giving the patient any upcoming appointments prior to leaving the clinic area.

* Ensures utilization of clinic appointments by filling open appointments slots as cancellations occur.

* Responsible to check patients in timely when seen in-person, Update patient demographics, to include address, telephone number, next-of-kin, update employment, and collect insurance information. A medication reconciliation sheet will be printed out for each patients Collects data required for Means Tests and enters accurately in Vista in the appropriate system to assure maximum third-party reimbursement and appropriate priority status. If veteran is not eligible for care due to priority status, is responsible to explain eligibility to the veteran.

* The AMSA must use various software, hardware system products, and data portals used to transfer, and capture information electronically used in the support of the daily operation of the clinic. This includes and is not limited to VistA, HSRM, CPRS (including CTB), VSE, Insurance Capture Buffer (ICB), VSSC Reports, Scheduling Manager, My Health E Vet/Secure Messaging, and Microsoft applications to accurately enter or extract information.

He/she must have knowledge of commonly used medical terminology, abbreviations, and VA acronyms and their meaning.

* Responsible for initiating and carrying out a variety of clinical support duties for patient care.

* Participates in team huddles and team meetings where patient care planning and management occur.

* Assures that all visitors and telephone calls are referred in a prompt and courteous manner. Ascertains the nature of the call or the business of the visitor and determines the appropriate action. Incumbent will assist with requests for information from patients and/or staff members but when the situation cannot be resolved, refers individual to the appropriate…