Medical Support Assistant - Community Care

Summary

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information - refer to Required Documents below. The incumbent serves as a Medical Support Assistant (MSA) in the VA Community Care team. Performs clerical and administrative support in the coordination - care - and treatment provided to patients throughout the VA Community Care processes in the Fargo VA Health Care System (VAHCS) - including all Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.)
• Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C.
• 7407(a)
• *Experience
• No experience required
• *Education
• High school diploma - General Education Development equivalency certificate - or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education
• Licensure/Certification/Registration
• None Physical Requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C.
• 7403(f)
• Foreign Education
• To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs
• Grade Determinations: Medical Support Assistant - GS-3 Grade Experience or Education (Entry Level): None beyond the basic requirements
• Medical Support Assistant - GS-4 Grade Experience (Developmental Level): One year of experience in clerical - office - customer service - or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position
• OR Education: One year of education above high school
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: Ability to meet - communicate - and interact with individuals from varying backgrounds and other health care team members in a courteous and helpful manner in order to facilitate medical care for patients
• Ability to use - and navigate between - various types of office automation equipment and software (i.e. - computer systems - web-based scheduling programs
• insurance collection system
• scanning software - multiple line phone systems
• electronic faxing programs) to support patient care
• Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients
• Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics
• Medical Support Assistant - GS-5 Grade Experience (Full Performance Level): One year of experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level
• OR - Education: Two years of education above high school
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): Candidates must demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 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
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients
• 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
• Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns - and refer to the appropriate staff - as necessary - to ensure a satisfactory resolution
• 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-5. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
  
  

Duties

• VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Responsible for answering phones - greeting patients - relaying messages to appropriate staff inside or outside the unit - scheduling appointments - including interpreting and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines and community care processes
• Scheduling - canceling - rescheduling patient appointments and/or consults
• entering no show information
• monitoring appointment requests from multiple electronic sources
• Participating in huddles with other MSAs and/or VACC staff to determine the daily needs of the team - monitoring outpatient appointments in areas of responsibility
• Verifying and updating demographics and insurance information when patients opt in for community care
• Coordinates administrative functions relating to emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities
• or private hospitals and determines appointment type based on the patients eligibility status
• Ensures the integrity of various databases - and date used in the management of administrative and customer service within the department
• Understands and appropriately utilizes the administrative support packages - to include but not limited to: Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) - REFDOCS - ROI - VA Online Scheduling (VAOS) - VIsta - Contractor portal - PPMS - HSRM
• Independently recognizes the urgency of the consults and schedules care in accordance
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (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 Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized