Medical Support Assistant

The Charles George Medical Center is currently recruiting for one (1) Medical Support Assistant within the Health Administration Service in the Outpatient Clinic working in the Imaging Clinic. This is the full performance level for MSAs. At this level, the MSA independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of health care services in an inpatient or outpatient setting.

Qualifications:

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience/Education combination. Two years above high schools or some equivalent experience
• English Language Proficiency. MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.j.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant, GS-05

(1) Experience or Education.

• (a) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade; OR
• (b) Education. Two years of education above high school.

(2) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).

In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients.
• Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution.
• Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information (PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports.
• Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting.
• Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-05

Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position typically are somewhat sedentary. The position requires the employee to be occasionally mobile; periods of daily walking are occasional and require the employee to walk long/intermediate/short distances that can include pushing and/or pulling a 4-wheeled basket or industrial-type cart with a collective weight up to 60-100 pounds. It's a position that requires occasional moderate lifting of 35 pounds or less. When the employee isn't mobile, they will be sitting at a workstation. The position requires the employee to sometimes bend at the waist or stoop down, or to stretch, and to sometimes stand for long/moderate/short periods of time.

Responsibilities:

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo

This is the full performance level for MSAs. At this level, the MSA independently performs a full range of duties related to the delivery of health care services in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Advises clinical staff on current administrative processes. The MSA is responsible for answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside of the unit, and scheduling appointments, including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to: scheduling, canceling, re-scheduling patient appointments and/or consults; entering no-show information; monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources; participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or clinic staff to determine the daily needs of the clinic, monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility; verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients check-in for appointments. Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patient's eligibility status (i.e., TRICARE, sharing agreements, collaterals, research patient, VA employee, etc.).

The duties include but are not limited too:

• The MSA is responsible for scheduling appointments, including interpreting, and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines.
• Scheduling, canceling and rescheduling patient's appointment and/or consults
• Entering no-show information;
• Monitoring the electronic wait list;
• Preparing for clinic visits;
• Monitoring both inpatient and outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility;
• Ensuring encounter forms are completed in order to obtain appropriate workload credit;
• Verifying and updating demographics and insurance information; processing all emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals;
• Performing basic eligibility, co-pays and preauthorization requirements for specific coverage.
• Other duties assigned.

Work Schedule: 7:00 am to 5 pm varying day tours
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 0000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Salary : $48,266