Kristen Costa
Fairfield,CA
Summary
Skilled Supervisory Advanced Medical Support Assistant with experience in healthcare administration and patient services. Strengths include effective communication, multitasking, and ability to work under pressure while maintaining attention to detail. Previous roles have demonstrated clear impact through improved office efficiency and high levels of patient satisfaction.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Supervisory Advanced Medical Support Assistant
Dept of Veterans Affairs
Martinez, CA
03.2021 - Current
- Provides front-line customer service to veterans, addressing inquiries and concerns promptly.
- Trained new MSAs and radiology technologists on office procedures and best practices for patient interactions.
- Answered phone calls from patients or healthcare providers and responded to inquiries professionally.
- Maintained accurate records of patient medical history, medications, test results, and other pertinent information in electronic health record system.
- Conducted quality assurance checks on medical charts to ensure accuracy of documentation.
- Provided support to physicians by entering orders into the computerized order entry system accurately.
- Assisted with the scheduling of patient appointments and follow-up visits.
- Served as a liaison between patients and healthcare providers by providing information on policies, procedures, benefits and other relevant topics.
- Attended staff meetings regularly to stay up-to-date on changes in policy or procedure regulations.
- Ensured compliance with HIPAA regulations related to the protection of confidential patient information.
- Secured patient information and maintained patient confidence by completing and safeguarding medical records.
- Assigning and evaluating the work of subordinate MSA staff and radiology technologists, resolving complex problems to ensure patient services are met, evaluating new products, equipment, and systems to make recommendations for improved clinic operations, identifying educational or training needs, making final decisions on hiring selections, evaluating performance, and taking disciplinary action when necessary.
- Front-line customer service representative for Radiology, as well as Cardiology, when needed.
- Collaborates, communicates, and demonstrates customer service and interpersonal skills with all health care professionals to ensure quality and continuity of care, in compliance with established policies and regulations.
- Coordinates special procedures with multiple departments, including but not limited to radiology, nuclear medicine, speech pathology, urgent care, and surgery.
- Expert in the scheduling of all modalities in Radiology (CT, Ultrasound, MRI, Special Procedures, and X-ray). Also trained in some nuclear medicine studies, including bone density DEXA studies (for veterans and CCRMC patients) and whole body bone scans.
- Conducts a thorough review of diagnostic imaging orders to ensure appropriate, and timely scheduling. Triages radiology orders submitted by the Same Day Care Clinic to ensure an excellent continuum of care for our Veterans.
- Assesses and reschedules conflicting appointments with various clinics outside of Radiology to ensure seamless service.
- Designated Supervisory/TL approver for the Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Service, which consists of 50+ people, ranging from full-time, intermittent, and compressed tours.
- Assesses pre-required information, such as labs, surgical and/or pertinent medical history, current medications, and patient availability, prior to scheduling radiology studies.
- Coordinates services with vascular ultrasound for patients with difficult veins for IV contrast studies in both CT and MRI.
- Assisted in the hiring interview panels, and assisted in the departmental recruitment process of 15 employees.
- Trains new onboarding MSA staff and radiology technologist on registration, scheduling, VetLink, VeText, ICB, and VATAS Foundations.
- Participates in problem-solving and provides input on operational issues and problems.
- Monitors the status and progress of work, and makes day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities, seeking assistance from the supervisor on problems that may arise.
- Knowledge in Maximo and YourIT for the entry of work order service requests for computers and all office machines.
- Trained and assists in the compilation of the monthly spreadsheet of completed Nuclear Medicine procedures done for CCRMC patients at both the VA Clinic and CCRMC Nuclear Med Departments for billing purposes.
- Uses office automation software such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Experienced user of Vista, CPRS, Vetlink, VeText, ICB (Insurance Capture Buffer), and VATAS.
- Expert in telephone communications, including voicemail setup and retrieval, conference calling, call transferring, call forwarding, and professional phone etiquette.
- Trained in the distribution of radiation safety badges and rings to radiology and nuclear medicine doctors, as well as technologists, at the Martinez site.
- Provides additional assistance to staff members, co-workers, and other departments whenever necessary to accomplish our common goal of excellent patient-centered care for our vets.
- PATS-R advocate for radiology.
- Ensures complaints and concerns from patients and families are addressed promptly.
- Acts to resolve problems, expedite services, or implement necessary corrective measures within established facility policies.
- Works with health care providers and administrative support staff throughout the medical center in preventing and resolving patient complaints, and in enhancing the Veteran experience.
- Report and document changes in PATS-R to resolve a concern.
Advanced Medical Support Assistant
Department of Veterans
Martinez, CA
07.2015 - 03.2021
- Front line customer service rep for Radiology as well as Cardiology when needed.
- Collaborates, communicates, and demonstrates customer service and interpersonal skills with all health care professionals to ensure quality and continuity of care in compliance with established policies and regulations.
- Coordinates special procedures with multiple departments including but not limited to radiology, nuclear medicine, speech pathology, urgent care, and surgery.
- Expert in the scheduling of all modalities in Radiology (CT, Ultrasound, MRI, Special Procedures, and X-ray). Also trained in some Nuclear Medicine studies to include Bone Density DEXA studies (for Veterans and CCRMC patients), and Whole Body Bone scans.
- Conducts a thorough review of diagnostic imaging orders to ensure appropriate and timely scheduling. Triages radiology orders submitted by Same Day Care Clinic to ensure excellent continuum of care for our Veterans.
- Assesses and reschedules conflicting appointments with various clinics outside of Radiology to ensure seamless service.
- Designated Time Keeper for the Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Service which consists of 35+ people ranging from full-time, intermittent, and compressed tours.
- Assumes administrative duties and directs MSA workflow to benefit patient care in the absence of MSA Supervisor.
- Assesses pre-required information such as labs, surgical and/or pertinent medical history, current medications, and patient availability prior to scheduling Radiology studies.
- Coordinates services with Vascular Ultrasound for patients with difficult veins for IV contrast studies in both CT and MRI.
- Participates on interview panels and assists in departmental recruitment process.
- Trains new on boarding MSA staff on registration, scheduling, VetLink, VeText, ICB and VATAS.
- Participates in problem solving and provides input on operational issues and problems.
- Monitors the status and progress of work and makes day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities, seeking assistance from the supervisor on problems that may arise.
- Knowledge in Maximo and YourIT for the entry of work order service requests for computers and all office machines.
- Compiles a monthly spreadsheet of completed Nuclear Medicine procedures done for CCRMC patients at both VA Clinic and CCRMC Nuclear Med Departments for billing purposes.
- Uses office automation software such as Word, Powerpoint, Excel. Experienced user of Vista, CPRS, Vetlink, VeText, ICB (Insurance Capture Buffer) and VATAS.
- Expert in telephone communications to include voicemail setup and retrieval, conference calling, call transferring, call forwarding, and professional phone etiquette.
- Trained in the distribution of Radiation safety badges and rings to Radiology and Nuclear Medicine doctors as well as technologists at Martinez site.
- Provides additional assistance to Veterans, staff members, co-workers and other departments whenever necessary to accomplish our common goal of excellent patient centered care for our Vets.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent -
Vista High School
San Pablo, CA06.2003
Associate's degree - Medical Assistant
Carrington College
Concord, CASkills
- Appointment scheduling
- Electronic health records
- Patient coordination
- Quality assurance
- Medical terminology
- Healthcare regulations
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Supervisory Advanced Medical Support Assistant
Dept of Veterans Affairs
03.2021 - Current
Advanced Medical Support Assistant
Department of Veterans
07.2015 - 03.2021
High school diploma or equivalent -
Vista High School
Associate's degree - Medical Assistant
Carrington College