Valietta Echols
Youngstown,United States
Summary
Dynamic medical professional with over twenty years of experience supporting Veterans and their families. Expertise in master scheduling and technical management of patient appointments, along with proficiency in automated database management, template optimization, and schedule creation. Comprehensive knowledge of medical support operations, military healthcare delivery systems, and the intricacies of TRICARE policies and DoD Health Affairs guidance. Proven ability to analyze data for operational efficiency, conduct insightful interviews, and educate stakeholders on VHA insurance processes while delivering exceptional customer service and innovative recruitment solutions.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Veterans Service Representative (VSR) 40hrs Wkly
Veterans Benefits Administration
05.2022 - Current
- Makes determinations as to the eligibility for the type of benefit sought to include questions relating to adequacy of military service, medical evidence, and the evaluation of evidence of income, employability, dependence, and relationship.
- Requests examinations, re-examination, or opinions to evaluate disabilities resulting from diseases or injuries.
- Reviews claims cases to assure all issues have been addressed, applies, and interprets VA laws, including veterans' case law, existing statutes and procedures, precedent rulings, and state law in the adjudication process.
- May conduct interviews in person or by phone with veterans, representatives, and advocates to explain the full range of VA benefits and related programs.
- Prepares and releases correspondence for use by other federal, state, and local agencies.
- Utilizes various electronic data processing (EDP) systems to input data for processing claims and generating automated correspondence.
- Utilized VBMS CORE to compose correspondence letters to explain current status of applications and request additional documentation..
- GS 9/10
Lead Advance Medical Support Assistant 40hrs Wkly
Department of Veteran Affairs Ravenna CBOC
08.2021 - 05.2022
- Monitors the Cancelled Appointment and Consult Management initiative (CACMI) for cancelled/no show COVID appointments
- Monitors and makes work assignments, provides input on performance, resolves daily workplace issues, and maintains efficient workflow.
- Reviewing, analyzing, and providing information to computer systems
- Developed and maintained training materials and benefits packets for new hires.
- Crisis intervention, treatment planning, and vocational support.
- Schedule and conduct interviews to fill vacant positions.
- Conducts ongoing reviews to ensure quality of work.
- Preparing written correspondence and other documents
- Ensures accurate and timely scheduling of appointments
- Provides guidance to staff members to include changes in policies and procedures
- Distributes and balances workload
- Creates and maintains employee work schedules
- Conduct interviews with hiring manager
- Reviewing and consulting, in conjunction with the hiring manager, on job analysis and/or rating and ranking panels when needed.
- Orients and provides on-the-job training for new and current employees
- Ensures all training requirements are met
- Organizes the work structure of his/her assigned areas
- Providing innovative recruitment solutions
- Acts as liaison between MSA and clinical staff to resolve day-to-day conflicts.
- Collaboratively evaluating trends in missions, technology, manpower, fiscal resources, and other factors influencing future needs
- Plans and organizes work with general assistance from the supervisor as to meet local and VA-wide time frames to complete analysis requirements, reports and special assignments and only refers to the non-routine and high technical problems to his/her supervisor.
- Responsible for reporting backlogs, difficulties in meeting deadlines, staff conflicts, or difficulty in securing information from clinicians or the record. Is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of information obtained to carry out required duties.
- Routinely communicates with physicians, case managers, and other allied health professional staff using sound interpersonal skills and is constantly aware of the sensitive information.
- GS7/6
Lead Advance Medical Support Assistant 40hrs Wkly
Department of Veterans Affairs Warren CBOC
05.2019 - 08.2021
- Coordinates with the patient care team to review the clinic utilization by using various reports (e.g., Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary)
- Participates in team huddles and team meetings to manage and plan patient care
- Participating in and independently following up on team huddles by sharing information and collaborating with the medical team to assure continuity of care
- Performing administrative follow up actions
- Evaluating patient information and clinic schedule lists to determine whether patient is vested
- Participating and providing input in problem solving on operational issues or procedures in team meetings
- Acts as liaison between MSA and clinical staff in order to resolve day to day conflicts.
- Monitoring pre-appointment requirements to assure readiness for patient visit/procedure (e.g., X-ray, lab work)
- May work with the team to reinforce the plan of care and self-help solutions and entering appropriate information into the electronic record
- Adjusting the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and patient needs
- Setting priorities and deadlines
- Maintains effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary team, VA Medical Centers, and other agencies (e.g., assist with communications during the inpatient to outpatient discharge; communicates with non-VA medical facilities; facilitate/process secure messaging with the patient and team; notify patients of appointments; manage a tracking system for follow up care such as Return to Clinic Orders, Recall, consults, tests, etc.)
- Provides the necessary recommendations to ensure compliance or corrective actions and the appropriate level of access
- Ensures that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic
- Coordinates with the patient care team to review the clinic utilization by using various reports (e.g., Clinic Utilization Statistical Summary)
- Volunteered to work overtime as needed to address heavy workload or assist clinics with scheduling needs
- Crisis intervention, treatment planning, and vocational support.
- GS7/6
Advance Medical Support Assistant CSU 40hrs Wkly
Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital
04.2018 - 05.2019
- Ensure veterans access to VA outpatient services by scheduling and coordinating, canceling and re-scheduling follow-up appointments and consults across the range of specialty clinics timely and efficiently.
- Prepares and implements operating guides; prepares reports; oversees the overall appointment scheduling activities, communication and automated data processing equipment as it relates to PAS; and serves as the liaison between customers and health center personnel utilizing the system.
- Assisted in overseeing the interviewing of the patients in contact with the Patient Appointment System and the scheduling of their appointments to specialty clinics at referred medical treatment facilities.
- Help train current and new medical clerks on PAS, and served as the office SME on appointments, creation of schedules, and software programs word, excel, and access.
- Assists in developing standing operating procedures for centralized, decentralized, and/or combined patient appointment systems activities.
- Scheduled for range of specialty clinics, including Audiology, Cardiology, Dermatology, ENT, General Surgery, Gastroenterology, Mental Health, Neurology, Optometry, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Pain, Plastic Surgery, Podiatry, Prosthetics, Pulmonary, Sleep, Urology
- Verify and update patient demographic information
- Identifies software, hardware operational problems, and forwards recommendations for improvements on the system.
- Explain scheduling and processes to patients as needed, provided information on available resources
- Communicate with clinical and other staff to ensure accurate and efficient scheduling
- Refer all questions requiring medical attention for triage determination, recognize symptoms and make immediate referral to appropriate medical staff and/or provided patients with emergent options
- Address delinquent recalls by contacting patients, schedule appointments, mail notifications
- Enter and monitor beneficiary travel requests, followed up with patient or travel department as needed
- Explain benefit entitlements or requirements to veterans
- Monitor individual call stats, and accuracy to ensure proper patient access to care and billing
- Maintaining national scheduling standards for patient processing with minimal call duration, recovery, and abandonment rates; reduced patient hold-times; and above number of average calls answered
- Assist with training of new-hire employees on clinic scheduling processes
- GS6/6
Advanced Medical Support Assistant (Transplant)
Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital
06.2015 - 04.2018
- Assures that all appropriate VA forms are used correctly and regulations followed.
- Maintains current knowledge regarding regulations that concern eligibility for care, control of medical records, and the availability/request of special tests and procedures.
- Fostered a supportive environment within the transplant program, promoting open communication and collaboration among colleagues, clients, and community partners.
- Schedules VA Travel for patients, delivering completed patient paperwork to Registration, routing completed Advance Directives and other records to Medical Records for scanning, picking up items for inpatients from transplant department, etc.
- Obtains hard copy patient records from the VA Health Information Management Section, or from the private sector, as requested by team members.
- Coordinates consultation, referrals, travel, travel pay, scheduling and cancelling of appointments for patients requiring specialty services and diagnostic procedures within the Kansas City VA Medical Center as requested by team members
- Evaluate claims documentation to determine if required information has been provided
- Setting up, closing out, scheduling, and coordinating exams to outside vendors and contractors
- Develops and maintains databases within excel with sole responsibility of distribution to both internal and external Transplant Programs.
- Completes demographics on patients, Scans outside medical records into CPRS, request all Pathology /Radiology from referring VA’s and documents their arrival/distribution.
- Coordinated community resources and secured referrals.
- The focal point for patient questions and concerns related to transplantation, independently handling routine issues.
- Explain the types of documents necessary to facilitate timely processing of claims, aid in obtaining and completing these documents and forms based on the type of claim being submitted.
- Ability to operate computerized programs and databases to enter, modify and retrieve sensitive information/data into or from electronic medical records, scheduling systems and/or reports.
- Aid and support patients and their families throughout all stages of the post-transplant process.
- Participates and provides input in problem solving on operational issues or procedures in team meetings, performing administrative follow up actions.
- Educates providers about shared patients (those who receive their care at multiple VAs or those who have care in the community) and bringing to the attention of the provider
- Develops/maintains effective and efficient communication with patient, interdisciplinary team, VA medical centers, and other agencies.
- Prepared and maintained records and case files detailing clients' personal and eligibility information, services provided and relevant correspondence.
- Consistently and independently maintains a safe/clean environment assures safe use of supplies/equipment; adheres to universal precautions/ infection control/ safety policy and procedure and utilizes personal protective equipment appropriately if required.
- GS6/4 40hrs wkly
Education
High School Diploma -
Maplewood Comprehensive
Nashville, TN06.1997
Skills
- Proficient in Microsoft Office
- Disability knowledge
- Data-driven decision-making
- Specialize in critical thinking
- Appointment coordination
- Client relationship management
- Initiative-driven
- Effective under pressure
- Adaptability and flexibility
- Resource identification and access
- Interview coaching
- Team management and supervision
- Individualized planning
- Clerical Support
- Referral Coordination
- Conflict resolution abilities
- Documentation Proficiency
- Community Outreach
- Excellent communication
- Time management
- Professional ethics
- Career development
- Employment strategies
- Training
Timeline
Veterans Service Representative (VSR) 40hrs Wkly
Veterans Benefits Administration
05.2022 - Current
Lead Advance Medical Support Assistant 40hrs Wkly
Department of Veteran Affairs Ravenna CBOC
08.2021 - 05.2022
Lead Advance Medical Support Assistant 40hrs Wkly
Department of Veterans Affairs Warren CBOC
05.2019 - 08.2021
Advance Medical Support Assistant CSU 40hrs Wkly
Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital
04.2018 - 05.2019
Advanced Medical Support Assistant (Transplant)
Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital
06.2015 - 04.2018
High School Diploma -
Maplewood Comprehensive
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